Stray Hearts
by XxHella-ChanxX
Summary: (AU) Edward Elric, alongside his younger brother Alphonse, move from their childhood home in Arizona Phoenix and try to live their life peacefully in the city of angel's, Los Angeles. But when Edward meets a mysterious teenager named Envy, and another teen named Ling, his life is drastically turned upside down. Drugs & sexual implications-Edvy LingEd SlightGreedEd
1. The High End of Low

_It's new and improved. Hope you enjoy._

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**Chapter 1: High End of Low.**

Just as he figured, he knew they were going to be in debt sometime soon, he also knew they were going to—sooner or later—be having money troubles, but what caught him off guard was the fact that those seemingly small troubles were going to be the biggest downfall of his life in his little house inside of Arizona Phoenix.

Because of those money troubles, they were now forced to move out. Or "evicted" to be more accurate.

And he knew where it was that they were supposed to go if the time ever called for it...

"They" being his brother and himself.

But, oh, how Ed ever dreaded going there, that's the whole reason why he's been trying his hardest to make money and support himself and his year younger brother and makes ends meet.

But when he no longer could, and when he got the news that they were getting evicted from the house that they had grew up in, he was in deep shit. All of his hard work, and his brother's hard work, never paid off in the end.

And now they were moving out.

But before they get forced out of their house and forced again to go to the airport with their belongings at their sides, and forced _yet_ _again_ to leave Arizona Phoenix—the place that Edward loved the most—they were getting one last supper with their closest friend—and practically one of Ed's family members—at the Rockbell residence, one of Edward's closest friends Winry and of course with her Granny, Pinako, at her side.

Edward and Alphonse Elric both sighed heavily after they finished their home-cooked meals at the dining table at Winry's house, and looked away from the table to look around the house lost in nostalgia.

They really were going to miss this small house, another place where Ed and Al grew up in because this house was practically another home to them; this was their home away from home.

And what they both had on their minds at that very moment, was that maybe they might never be able to see this place again for a very long time…Not only that…But they might not be able to see Winry or granny for quite some time as well.

Edward sighed heavily for the second time that day, after he ate his delicious home-cooked meal and crossed his arms angrily in frustration as he glared down at his worn out and scuffed up sneakers in disdain.

"I don't want to leave." He grumbled as he pursed his bottom lip.

Alphonse sighed heavily beside him at the other end of the table as he nodded his head in agreement. "Me neither..." His brother mumbled. "They're forcing us to go! We can easily live here with granny and Winry!" Alphonse shouted in frustration, then his eyes lit up with hope as he looked expectantly over at his older brother. "Can't we stay with Winry and granny brother?" He gently pleaded, he already knew the answer to that question before he even asked it, but he wanted to ask it anyways, just so he can get _at least_ a little sense of finality.

Everything up to this point, felt like a bad dream to Alphonse. He only wanted his older brother's word just so he can _be sure_ that none of this was just some horrible nightmare he's having while in a coma. As ridiculous as that sounded in his head, he just wanted his older brother's word as some form of closer.

Al was hoping at this point that his brother would nod his head and confirm that they can stay with granny and Winry until they get back on their feet, but he only frowned when he saw Edward's braided head shake furiously in refusal, a total opposite of what he wanted Edward to do.

"We can't stay here and be a burden to them, that's the last thing I wanted to happen," Edward slowly explained. "It was after going to HIS place for shelter." He grumbled the last part, before he looked up to meet Alphonse's disappointed gaze. "But being a burden to Winry and granny was the first thing I NEVER wanted us to do..." Edward explained with a short snort after words. "I hate that we ever let it resort to this, us having to stay with _Dad_ and move out of Phoenix. Leaving behind the house we grew up in, and leaving Winry and that old coot behind. But we have no choice; this is what mom wanted too. It was mentioned in her will that she wanted us to stay with our so called 'father' after she passed...So we have to fulfill mom's wishes up until the very end Al." Edward said with a sigh of defeat and a small apologetic smile. "That's just how life is dealt sometimes, and we got the band hand in the end of the deal."

Alphonse sometimes hated when his older brother was right at times, because once in a while, it really did suck. Especially NOW of all times for his brother to be accurately correct, and know what's responsible and what's not.

Edward heard Al once again sigh just as he did and hear him grunt a reluctant response.

Edward scowled down at his shoes once again. _'Don't worry lil bro, I hate this as much as you do. I'm just glad were together still.' _Edward thought, a small frown forming across his face.

Edward's thoughts were soon interrupted when Winry waltz in through the kitchen door, a bright smile on her face, while she held chocolate cake in one hand and a knife in the other.

Edward was actually going to miss that trait about Winry, how she always just seemed to know when to pop up at the right time when he or Alphonse were feeling a bit off in behavior and attitude wise.

As Winry walked in through the door with a small round cake in her hands, she skipped over to the table, her long blonde hair that hung up in her usual pony-tail bobbed up and down with her jovial movements and gently she put the cake down and looked at both of her dearest friends with a smile. "I made this last night!" She announced happily. "I wanted to make sure that you guys get cake before you both left for the airport..." She trailed off, her once bright smile slowly fading from her face as she held on tightly to the knife in her hands and attempted to cut the cake.

But once Edward looked down at her hands, he easily caught the shaking of her hands once she reached over to grab the knife and try cutting the cake laid out in front of her on the table, and when Edward looked up to read her facial expression all he saw was her face being hidden away behind a long curtain of blonde hair, and he could clearly see that she was trying hard not to cry as she bit down hard on her quivering bottom lip.

He held in a long dreary sigh as he got up from his spot at the table and laid a reassuring hand on top of her small slender shoulder with a small smile. "Don't cry all over the cake Winry, you'll make it taste like salt." He wrinkled his nose in displeasure at that. "And I don't like salt that much, so I'll cut it for you instead." He half-heartedly comforted as he gently took the knife out from her shaking hands and gently lead her away from the cake and placed her in a chair beside his brother.

She sniffled quietly as she nodded her head. "Okay..." She agreed unhappily as she began rubbing the back of her hands on her tear laden eyes to stop stifle her freshly fallen tears.

Edward sadly smiled and continued to cut the small cake. "Where's granny? I thought she would be here to see us off or something. Knowing her, she's probably jumping with joy that I'm finally leaving." Edward grumbled as he pictured the old bag glowing happily as she threw roses in the air.

"You know she isn't happy that both of you are leaving Ed!" Winry defended. "She's just as sad as I am!" Winry argued. "She isn't as heartless as you make her out to be Edward." She said with a pout.

"Yeah brother! She kept smiling at us, but very sadly throughout supper whenever you made your stupid jokes! She's gonna miss us!" Alphonse also defended the old woman who wasn't there to argue for herself.

Alphonse watched his brother cut the cake skillfully and felt that little spark of envy bubble up inside of him whenever he noticed that his brother held skills in hand-eye coordination. But then again, he was always the one to feel just a bit too proudly that he exceeded his older brother's fighting skills whenever they had hand-to-hand combat.

Alphonse thoughts were soon caught off when he heard his brother scoff loudly.

"Yeah, yeah! I wasn't being serious you guys! Sheesh! Learn how to joke once in a while," Edward said as he rolled his eyes. "And they aren't stupid jokes!" He said in defiance as he raised his nose in the air.

It went silent for a couple of seconds, and Winry felt the need to finally speak up about her granny's whereabouts.

"Granny is just putting gas in the car so she can take you guys to the airport..." She said as she looked down at her hands that laid on top of her lap and wrung them together. How was it that this was going to be their last visit? How long were they going to be gone? And how long has it been since she last cried like this?

She soon couldn't handle her own emotions as she then brought her hands up to her face and softly sobbed into them. "I don't want you two to leave…" She cried quietly, her shoulders shaking with each small whimper she made.

"Winry...Don't cry please..." Alphonse comforted as he placed a hand onto hers with a small smile.

She jumped slightly at the sudden touch of his hand on hers, but soon relaxed when she realized just how warm it was and how comforting his thumb felt when gliding gently across the back of her hand. She was definitely going to miss this about Alphonse Elric. He always knew how to make her feel better, with just simple things like this.

Winry looked up and stared into Alphonse warm hazel eyes as her own light blue eyes sparkled with fresh tears her blue, she couldn't help but smile small at Alphonse's kind and smiling face.

"We'll always have our memories right? Not only that but we'll call you the first thing when we get there." Alphonse reassured. "And we'll keep calling every day after that, and every night as well, just to see how everything is going. Won't we brother?" Alphonse asked as he looked back to Edward from across the table. Al soon smiled triumphantly when he saw his older brothers face give a small scowl before he reluctantly gave a slow nod of his head in agreement.

"See? And Edward only looks that way whenever he doesn't want to do something but knows he has to anyways." Alphonse whispered loudly to Winry, making sure his voice was heard by his older brother.

"Hey!" He heard Edward shout, obviously offended at what he considered to be true.

Alphonse ignored his brother whole-heartedly after that as he rubbed his thumb across Winry's hand with a small smile. "We'll always think about you and granny." He consoled.

Winry smiled sadly but nodded anyways as she hugged the youngest Elric brother hard. "I'm going to miss you guys..." She sniffled, already feeling tears prick at the corner of her eyes as she held onto his shoulder tightly as though her entire life depended on contact alone.

Edward had to look away at the touching scene.

He hated good-byes...He hated it even more when Winry started to cry just because of them. He never liked it when Winry cried, and now he just hated himself all the more that he was the one that caused all this, he never tried hard enough to get and keep a job. He kept blaming himself for the fact that he and his brother were getting evicted, it was his fault wasn't it? Why should Winry and Alphonse be the ones to suffer?

So with a loud cough and clearing of his throat, he slid the freshly cut cake in Al's and Winry's direction with a confident smirk.

"There you go! Get the plates woman!" He ordered as he pointed off into the direction of the kitchen cabinets, if there's one thing that Edward was proud of at that moment, was that he could break a sad or awkward moment with a joke, or with just his asshole attitude.

He regretted his decision though quickly after, when Winry whipped her head up from within Alphonse's shoulder, and glared menacingly directly at him.

He also felt his blood run cold once he saw her reach into her pants pocket for her wrench. He quickly waved his hands about in the air in surrender as he all but begged for the crazy mechanics forgiveness.

"I was kiddin' you psychotic mechanic otaku!" Edward shouted as he ran to the back door of Winry's house.

"Get back here Chibi chump!" Winry shouted after him as she threw every object closest to her at his retreating—and very small—figure.

0.o.0.o.0

A couple hours after supper—and after successfully out running Winry—Both Alphonse and Edward were finished packing, and now all of their belongings were stuffed haphazardly in the trunk of granny Pinako's car, and they were off to the airport.

Alphonse sat beside Edward during the whole ride there, with Winry in the passenger seat and Pinako behind the wheel. The ride to the airport was brutally silent.

Both of the Elric brother's wanted to start a conversation, but what was there to be said that they haven't already said before this whole disastrous car ride had started? Both feared that if they even uttered a single sentence, Winry would start bawling, making granny tear up because of it.

So they bit their lips and kept their mouths shut until they finally reached the airport and walked through the security check, all of them by then had started conversing about trivial things, and about how it was Alphonse's first time in an airport, including Edward's, and how Winry went to one before but never actually got to travel anywhere before, and they also talked about how granny Pinako had only travelled once, but it was only to pick up her latest shipment in auto parts.

They all had stopped conversation again when it was time for the brother's to board the airplane which would then take them up into the air, and straight to Los Angeles.

With Edward hating every minute of it.

Both of the brother's then turned around, just as they were about to board the plane—and after they gave the nice lady behind the desk their tickets—she had allowed them to say there farewells as she handed back their passports.

"Don't forget to call when you get there you guys! And give me your number once you do so I can call too!" Winry shouted—actually threatened would be the accurate word—as she glared heatedly at both of her childhood friends. But then began smiling brightly when they both hurriedly nodded their head with terrified expressions on both their faces.

Edward waved with a brooding scowl, but slowly a smile began spreading across his face as he started to wave his hand more vigorously. "We'll be back! And when we do I'll be tall, you'll see!" He hollered. "So tall that you guys will need a ladder just to hug me!" He shouted.

"Keep dreaming big Edward!" Winry shouted as she began laughing hysterically at Edward's priceless pissed off expression.

"We'll call everyday granny and Winry! We promise!" Alphonse shouted, they both then waved one last time as they turned around to finally board the plane.

"I love you guys!" They heard Winry shout behind them.

Edward turned around to give her a two finger salute while Alphonse waved with a bright smile.

Edward sighed in displeasure. _'I wonder when we'll ever go back home...'_ He soon shook his head at the thought. He'd rather not think about that right now, not when their boarding the airplane, he just might turn tail and run back to granny and Winry, if he kept thinking about their sad expressions and their teary good-bye.

"Well...Let's see if we'll make this travel out alive." Edward said, unease clear in his voice.

"Don't say that brother!" Alphonse whined beside him. "You'll jinx the airplane!"

"You just jinxed it by saying 'jinx' you idiot!"

0.o.0.o.0

Edward turned the page as silently as he could, then slid the book mark into the chapter he was now on, and placed the book into his lap, he looked beside him and over to Alphonse, who sat in the seat beside him as he rested his dirty blonde head on his shoulder, his younger brother's breathing calm and relaxed.

Edward gave a small smile then turned his head to look out of the window; the clouds beside the plane were surreal to him. They were so close that he wanted to smash the window open and reach his hand out, but he knew that would only end up with him having a broken arm (again) and all of the passengers in the plane freezing to death at how cold it is up in the air and inside the atmosphere.

So he sufficed with just looking out and admiring them from afar as he usually did. He yawned quietly and tried stifling it by covering a hand over his mouth. His eyes were now feeling sore and they burned with fresh tears, his eyes were mainly sore from all the reading he did prior to boarding the plane and finding their seats.

_'It wouldn't kill me if I took a little nap...Would it?' _he thought with a raised eyebrow as he shot a look out of the window again, they WERE high up in the air, the engine of the plane could blow at any time, and the plane could also run out of fuel causing them to dead fall all the way to the earth and then blow up, or they could get hijacked and totally repeat the tragic incident of 9/11...But there was little chance of that happening. For he had a feeling that the plane wouldn't be his death, but the fact that his father COULD be.

He scowled deeply at the mere thought of the man who abandoned them years ago and felt the sudden urge to _actually_ punch a hole through the glass just so he wouldn't face him.

But then he grumbled under his breath and scowled deeply at the clouds. _'Hate to fall asleep knowing that HE was my last thought.' _He grumbled inside his head, then focused his thoughts on someone else.

His mom.

He smiled sadly and reached into his sweater pocket, where he knew he kept his silver pocket watch inside. The pocket watch was what his mother had given to him when she laid in her pure white death bed. The last gift his mother had ever given him.

He sighed at the depressing memory and rested his head on the window of the plane._ 'The saddest part of leaving Phoenix...Is the fact that we're leaving the house we grew up in with mom...'_ He thought miserably. Closing his golden colored eyes and calmed his breathing.

The last thought before he drifted off to sleep was him, Alphonse, and his mother sitting on the front porch of their house, looking at the sunset.

0.o.0.o.0

Edward was now terrified of planes, thanks to a half awake Alphonse mistaking the clouds for being smoke from the propellers and shouting in Edward's ear that they were going to crash, and right when he finally managed to fall asleep again too.

He also couldn't shake the fear of being up thousands of miles high, hovering above cities, and the way the shaking feels of the turbulence when they touched down.

Everything was nerve racking about a plane, when Ed was inside the plane and looking at the clouds float by freely was nice, but that was when he was tired and didn't know what he was thinking about anything anymore.

But now that it was all over—and with Edward thanking God, Shiva, Buddha, and any other God's out there in the world numerous of times as he planted his sneakers on the safety of hard cement—him and Al were outside of the airport, bags at their sides and rolling suitcases in their hands, they waited for their so called 'father' to pick them up outside of the airport.

Edward scowled in annoyance as the minutes ticked by, he happened to have noticed many people come and go without a care in the world as they jumped into taxi's, or into cars belonging to family members as they were greeted with smiles, hugs and kisses...While they on the other hand, continued to stand there, looking like abandoned idiots, and waiting impatiently for their father—that might not even come, or might not even remember them when he _does_ come—to pick them up.

"You wonder what he looks like now?" Alphonse gushed, a nervous smile on his lips as he fidgeted with his back-pack in his hands.

"Who?" Edward asked, not really paying attention as he looked around outside the airport, L.A so far, doesn't look as extravagant and beautiful as his mother has put it inside her will.

It was actually hard to imagine that this was the exact same city his mom and dad had first met many years back. He also couldn't imagine his 'dad' being as loving and caring as his mom has described him to be in the will.

"Dad you idiot!" Alphonse soon shouted, snapping Edward out of his thoughts. "I'm trying to imagine him with some of our characteristics but it's hard. Do you think he's tall or short?" Al's sentence was soon cut off when he was hit up-side the head with Ed's hand. "OW! What was that for!?"

"Don't say short!"

"I wasn't saying that about you nim-rod!"

"What did you call me!?"

"Be quiet brother people are staring!"

"Let them stare! I don't care! Let's give them a show while we're at it!" Edward hollered. Turning around to stick out his tongue as he pulled his eye lids down and began making faces at the pedestrians surrounding them. "Nyaaaah!"

Then he got punched in the jaw by his younger brother.

After that, they scuffled outside of L.A's airport, with people standing around them as many of them threatened that they were going to call security.

That is until both of the brothers were yanked apart, Edwards fist flying about as he still tried to at least land a few good blows to his younger brother so he can then consider himself the winner after the brawl.

But his antics were soon cut short of his meaningless dream, as he swayed above ground, his toes barely touching the sidewalk as he was being held up like a dirty cat.

He blinked in confusion, then started struggling at the firm grasp at the back of his shirt collar as someone held him up. "Let me go! Don't make me kick your ass old man!" He shouted furiously as he kicked and shouted out many profanities.

"Brother!" He heard Alphonse call his name in a tone that sounded like surprise.

He soon stopped his rant and looked beside him over to the man that was holding him up and off the cement. And the first thing that he saw, were the shining pair of glasses looming over him and then the blonde scruffy beard and mustache, and finally the long blonde hair inside a pony-tail.

He also noticed that the middle aged face looked so familiar, but at the same time it didn't. But he knew who it was instantly.

"Hohenhiem..." He grumbled as he weakly smiled. More like, as he FORCED a smile.

His father was the one that broke up the fight and was now holding him up off the cement.

His luck just couldn't get any better.

0.o.0.o.0

From observing his father, and after un-packing all of their things inside his and Al's new bedroom, Edward had learned that his dad certainly didn't give a good god DAMN about them or how their mom has been before the illness took over her body. His father didn't even ask them a single question what-so-ever when they got into the car and drove to their new home on an apartment flat three stories up.

Edward also learned that his father was taking his single life pretty good, and for that, Edward disliked him all the more, his father's whole entire apartment looked like one sweet bachelor pad. A huge dining room table, a giant flat screen TV inside a huge living room, one master bedroom (that's where his father slept), and another big bedroom that him and Alphonse are currently staying in together, and the kitchen was the size of their last bedroom back in Phoenix. Everything about the apartment flat was extravagant, expensive looking, new, and oh-so boring.

Everywhere Edward looked, none of the walls proved to be a home, meaning, there wasn't a single photo of his father or anyone he knew, up in frames on the walls or anywhere where else he laid his eyes on, Edward saw free spaces on mostly every countertops and coffee tables.

There wasn't anything inside the house that proved to be his fathers "Home". It all looked bland, like someone magically transported an entire magazine article of a well decorated house, to his father's apartment.

Everything covering up of what his father really is.

And in Edward's own personal opinion, was a worthless dirt-bag, father of the year he AIN'T, and quiet jackass that scared him a little, and a giant prick for leaving them in the first place.

After he was done un-packing his clothes inside his new dresser, which was black thank goodness, he hated any other colors besides the color red and yellow. He soon sat at the edge of the twin sized bed (That fit him perfectly...Unfortunately) and looked out of the window of his bedroom balcony door. With a curious tilt of his head, he got up from the bed, over to the balcony door and slid it open wide.

He felt his eyebrows shoot up in surprise; his own bedroom had the view of almost the ENTIRE city of Los Angeles. The sun has set, but that only intensified the view and actually made the city look larger when all of the cities lights were on. The street pole lamps that hung in nearly every block and corner made the city look bright, the streetlights, the vehicle lights, the building lights; every single damn light was bright and made Edward inhale in anticipation.

He definitely couldn't wait till tomorrow for him and Al to go sight-seeing around town. As much as he wanted to go now, nothing in this hour would be open, unless they wanted to go to the nearest drug-store for some junk food, or to a liquor store, to a casino, or to a strip club.

Which he doubted that they would even make it through the front door without being escorted out by bouncers.

Besides...He wouldn't EVER go to any of those places even when the sun was out and at its highest.

His odd thoughts were interrupted when he heard Alphonse calling his name. "Edward! Supper tiiime!" He heard Alphonse calling from somewhere inside his father's bachelor pad.

The short blonde turned around from leaning up against the railing of the balcony to shout a reply into their bedroom. "Coming!" He shouted back loudly, he took one last look at the city and at all of its lights, and with a small dreamy sigh, he headed back inside his bedroom and closed the balcony door behind him as he headed straight out of his bedroom.

He was instantly greeted with the scent of cheese, and with a huge inhale through his nostrils he ran to the kitchen table located on the other side of the living room walls, and with a screeching halt, he made it to the large table with a hungry look to his expression.

"Pizza." He announced in a dead pan voice as he took a seat and hungrily reached over to the middle of the table to grab a slice, only to be whacked in the hand with a hard silver spatula. "Ow! Geez Al!" He whined as he held his now throbbing hand with a hurt expression. How dare his younger brother strike him with a spatula for trying to eat when he was starving!

"Not until dad joins..." His younger brother's whispering voice scolded as he waggled the silver spatula above his head, then with a bright smile he looked over his shoulder, and over to the man that was hidden behind the walls surrounding the large living room and yelled. "Dad! Gonna have some pizza with us?" He asked in an exuberant tone.

A few silent minutes ticked by, and with Edward's stomach growling angrily all the while, Edward was starting to suspect that Hohenhiem's answer would never come, and he tried to slowly reach for a pizza, until he heard shuffling. And with a roll of his eyes, he sat still after that.

Alphonse then smiled brightly and started dishing out slices of pizza. "It's pepperoni with extra cheese...I don't know what you really like so...I'm sorry if you don't like it..." Alphonse apologized meekly for his ignorance.

Edward snorted while biting into the pizza ravenously. "Don't apologize Al," He said between chewing. "He doesn't know A THING about us. So I'm pretty sure he'll get over this tiny thing in time." Edward spat, biting into his slice with enough force to crack open a bone.

Alphonse winced at the harshly spat words and peeked over to his estranged father, who looked kind of put down at the words but kept quiet otherwise. He inwardly sighed in relief, but soon smiled brightly once he saw his father bite into his own pizza. Al soon took his spot across from Edward and closest to his father at the table and began eating along with them.

They ate their meal in silence, Edward and Alphonse would once in a while pipe up with a conversation, that really had nothing to do with their father, but with about their lives back at Phoenix, and sometimes, Alphonse would ask his father what goes on in his life.

Which the answers to those questions were quick, simple, short and sweet, for example: "I work as a Science Director." Or. "I do get paid a lot." And also. "Yes...I guess I do need to shave…" and to Alphonse's question about school, his father looked up from behind his pizza with an emotionless glaze in his grey eyes and answered. "You two start school tomorrow actually." He stated, blinking in surprise.

After those cruel words were uttered rather heartlessly, it went silent for a couple of heart beats.

"TOMORROW!?" Edward shouted, glaring heatedly at his idiotic father. "But we hardly know our way around the city! How the hell are we going to find our way to school? Let alone know where to come BACK from school!"

His father wiggled a finger in his ear with some sort of pout on his aged face, and looked to Edward with an apologetic expression. "I know, I realized that once you two finally made it here...Everything just seemed so surreal to me that I couldn't get my thoughts straight. It still seems like a dream...I just can't believe you two are almost fully grown up..." Hohenhiem stated sadly as he looked at two of his only sons.

To the right, was a gentle spoken boy with short dirty blonde hair and warm hazel eyes, and to Hohenhiem, Alphonse seemed like the type to fight with his words and not with his fists, and looked like he wouldn't even hurt a fly.

Then to the left of him, was a loud, outspoken, sometimes harsh—he deserved that kind of attitude in his opinion—short teenager, with long blonde hair that's braided neatly behind his head, with a permanent scowl etched onto his face—Which he doesn't blame him for—that made his bright golden eyes shine and burn like the embers from the sun. Which Hohenhiem also learned recently that the boy liked to curse and certainly has a way with profanity and words.

Edward's heart stung—just a little at his father's announcement—but just for a second, until his anger and rage boiled up to the surface and blinded all other emotions. "Well of course you would be shocked that we've grown! Since you've practically abandoned us years ago! How old were we? Two? Three? Since you last saw us?" Edward yelled as he then got up from his chair with haste, which had then caused it to fall backwards and onto the floor with a loud clatter and bang.

Everything once again became silent.

Edward glared heatedly at his father's blank expression and felt his hands ball to fists at his side, he spun around on his heel and stomped his way out of the kitchen. "Tch!" Edward spat over his shoulder as he quickly stormed away from the table. "I'll be in the room getting ready for SCHOOL apparently!" He shouted over his shoulder as he quickly stalked off towards his and Al's bedroom.

"Brother!" He heard Alphonse call in a desperate tone.

Edward wanted to look back, to reassure his brother that he wasn't mad at him, but he would most likely meet the eyes of HIM, and he would rather stare at a dog bite its own ASS than look into the sad and hurt expression of his dumb ass father.

So he never looked back as he practically jogged to his bedroom and slammed the door shut behind him.

With a deep set scowl on his face, he went over to his back-pack at the foot of his bed and un-zipped it angrily as he dug around inside. It came in handy to pack some pencils, paper, and notebooks once in a while. Because he had a hunch that someday it would serve some purpose on his travels. But he had no idea that it would be tomorrow that him and Al would have to start school again.

He thought it would be at least a week or two until they came back to school, considering it id now August 5th and another school semester was about to begin. And he didn't have a clue about the school's schedule down here in Los Angeles, but his father could of at least have given them a few days' notice that school was beginning down there in L.A.

But nothing could be done about it now.

Unfortunately.

Ed sighed in frustration as he sat on the floor right by his bed with his empty note book in his hands as he slid a hand through his hair. "A new High school...Everything is happening too fuckin' fast..." He muttered, dropping his book on the floor as he pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his head in his knees, wrapping his arms around them as he did.

_'How can I get through it? How will Al and I be able to?' _He thought, still having his head rested on his knees. _'I want you here ...Everything is confusing without you...' _He brought his hands up to his eyes and groaned loudly.

He got up from the floor and went over to his dresser after that thought was said in his mind, and by that point, Edward only wanted to get dressed into pajama bottoms and hide his misery from the world, for the earlier he slept, the sooner it would be for him to wake up for school and get it over with.

"But my time schedule is so fucked up! I sleep practically ALL DAY and stay up ALL NIGHT!" He shouted out his frustrations to the world as he threw his pajama bottoms onto the bed and angrily un-did his zipper to his grey colored jeans and all but jumped out of his pants in a hurry for bed.

"Edward I know your—"

"Dad!" Edward yelled out in surprise and he quickly jumped to his bed, hiding his exposed legs underneath his pajama bottoms with a dark red blush dusting along his cheeks.

"I'm sorry!" His father shouted as he quickly retreated back behind his bedroom door.

"Knock before entering! You have people living in this house too yenno!" Edward yelled as he hid his blushing face in his hands. "God!"

* * *

_If there is STILL typo's or whatever than meh bad :L_

_Also, yeah I know, what the fuck right? Deletes the story then uploads it again? But I always wanted to._

_I'm back bitches! Sorry if I'm making you wait longer now ._. but if you truly like my story, then you'll continue to follow and favorite it :) I have recent and NEW chapters to this story, so it wasn't forgotten at all, I was merely improving them :)_


	2. Separate Lives

_Enjoy!_

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**Chapter 2: Separate Lives.**

"Edward! This is going to be the last time I'm waking you up!" Alphonse shouted at the pile of blankets—he knew for sure that his older brother was underneath them all—on the other side of the room and across from his own bed. "Dad said he's leaving soon so you better get up!" Alphonse shouted again as he quickly shot a look over to the clock beside his bed.

"No! Five more minutes Al!" Edward whined from within the blankets that surrounded him on the bed, covering his head with the soft pillow above him and groaning loudly within it.

"If you have another five minutes, then that will turn into another 15 minutes!" Al argued. "We're going to be late for our first day of school brother!" Alphonse scolded once he finished packing all of his notebooks and papers into his old duffle bag and swung it over his shoulder.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Edward shouted as he threw the blankets off of his now cold body, oh how he dreaded putting his warmed feet onto the cold hard wood floors. "Sheesh...Tyrant..." Edward grumbled as he rose up from the bed, yawning loudly as he did and threw his legs over the side of the bed, he glanced at his clock and his eyes widened in shock. "Holy shit Al! Why didn't you tell me that it was already going to 9 o'clock?! We're gonna be late for our first day of school thanks to you!" He took the blame and threw it into his brother's scowling face as he quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, that is connected to his and Al's bedroom, and ran with his pile of clothes in his arms—which he had picked out the night before—and slammed the bathroom door shut once he finally made it inside.

Alphonse had to roll his eyes at his idiotic brother. "I told you fifteen minutes ago—_after_ you said another five minutes—that we were going to be late!" Alphonse yelled back.

"Shut up!" Was his older brother's immature reply.

* * *

They made it to their destination, L.A Central High School.

School was a pain in the ass, he hated the fact that it took up _half_ of his entire day, leaving him with the rest of the day, feeling exhausted, with only five hours of sunlight left, not to mention he hated all the rushing around he does in the mornings, the pain staking schedules that he's forced to learn and endure, the students that cluttered the hallways, the new teachers that were sometimes either pricks, or wannabe Hitler's (what with all their rules and demands), and the fact that it was just SCHOOL.

Edward only liked it for the fact that it taught him new things in Science—just one of his favorite subjects—and he also liked History and Biology, the human anatomy was certainly amazing and sometimes crucial to know, he also liked taking Chemistry, his other favorite subject.

Which is odd considering he hated math.

When both of the brothers arrived at their new school, their father had told them to head straight for the head office, where they will then be escorted to the Principals Office by the Vice Principal himself or herself, and they will then get a fast introduction about the new high school system.

And when they did do what their father had told them to do, they didn't even MEET the Principal of the school, instead they met with a very weird old man, what was even more of a surprise was that he was the Vice Principal of the school, he introduced himself as Mr. Graham.

Edward wouldn't consider the Vice principal to be boring at all—like any other average old timer—but the word was more like...Eccentric?

What brought that description in Edward's mind was the fact that the old man didn't even seem—_or wanted_—to act his age. Mr. Graham was hollering and laughing loudly inside the head office before the both of them had even gotten there, and when they first met the Vice principal he had the _balls_ to call Edward the dreaded "S" word on their first greeting.

And that wasn't a good first introduction or impression on Edward's part, especially because Alphonse _had to_ step in and hold back his furiously raging older brother, and hold him at bay from the old Vice principal of the school.

Who was only laughing like a mad man the whole time until he finally parted ways with the boy's when he told the both of them that they would have to start heading to one of their first classes.

Fortunately for Edward, Alphonse was in most of his classes.

Actually scratch that...Alphonse was only in _two_ of his classes, considering that Alphonse was only fourteen and in grade 10.

But despite that, they get to share their first class together, which was Literature, then they shared Math 11 right after that, but after Math class was done, they would have to go their separate ways until they met up again after lunch.

The class that Edward was in after Math 11, was Biology 11. And when the afternoon classes started, then he's alone for the rest of the day, the third class Edward has is Chemistry 11, then after that is History 12, and the last and final class of his daily school schedule, was Physical Education. Which Edward wasn't too fond of.

He liked sports…Per se...But the class was going to be a hell of a lot boring if his younger brother wasn't there with him.

"I don't like this schools schedule..." Edward grumbled as they walked down and through many of the hallways of their new school, heading to their first class together, which was Literature 11.

His brother might be a year younger than him, but he's almost as smart as him to be in mostly all of his classes.

But because the school was dead set on Alphonse getting to learn the ways of being in the tenth grade in L.A Central High School, and what sort of opportunities he might miss in certain classes, they held him back in the classes he already knew, just so Alphonse could get the feel of the schools layout and how the work goes.

Edward knew that Alphonse didn't mind, just as long as he was getting taught new and exciting things.

But Edward really only wanted his brother beside him, he wasn't afraid of the students here, nor was he scared of the teachers, he just didn't trust the students that Alphonse would most likely encounter. It was Los Angeles they were in. Who knew what went down behind the school doors and away from the teacher prying eyes?

As they were heading down to their first class, Edward heard Alphonse hum under his breath as he too looked over their class schedule he had in his hands.

"I like this schedule...It sure is better than what I had in mind. I thought we would be separated for mostly all of the classes, at least were in two classes together early in the morning." Alphonse stated, smiling.

"Yeah...But still!" Edward shouted defiantly. "By the time were both done the first two morning classes, were separated for the third morning class, and then I'm forced to enter Biology alone! It's probably gonna be quiet in all of the afternoon classes I have too, since we don't know ANYBODY here I'll probably look like a loner." Edward said with a long dragged out sigh. "But I guess you have to learn to be on yourself once in a while huh Al?" He smiled coyly as he pushed his younger brother playfully with his arm.

"I know how to take care of myself when you're not around big bro," Alphonse grinned back mischievously as he pushed his brother back with his free arm. "I'm mostly worrying about YOU being by yourself." Alphonse admitted as he sighed in displeasure. "No one to look after you, YOU, the one who goes crazy whenever someone even mutters a certain word that has anything to do with your height, the one who swears like a sailor at people giving you a funny look, the one who starts fights!" Alphonse groaned as he clapped his hand onto his older brother's shoulder and patted roughly. "Promise me you won't start a fight on the first day of school big brother...and I would greatly appreciate it if the people here don't start cornering us in the middle of classes."

It _has_ happened before back in Phoenix, when they first entered Junior high, Edward was called "Short" which lead to a fight, which then lead to Edward getting suspended for a whole week, and _then_ was forced to later apologize to the principal and to the student who Edward gave a broken nose to.

The memory still made Edward smile. "Yeah, yeah...Worry wart." Edward murmured, so inaudible for Alphonse to hear. "I swear Al, you're gonna start gettin' grey hair by the time your 20-years-old over all the petty worrying you do about me!" Edward exclaimed, a small teasing smirk slipping across his face as he clipped his elbow into Al's ribs beside him.

His brother giving him a small yelp of surprise as he did.

"And whose fault is it going to be?" Alphonse argued as he bumped shoulders with his one inch shorter brother.

Who playfully bumped him back, still smiling. "Ahh Don't git yer panties in a bunch Al!" Edward stated in a fake Texas accent. "I'm perfectly fine." Edward reassured, half-heartedly. He knew he was lying through his teeth, and he knew Al must've taken it only as a joke.

Alphonse only shook his head in exasperation with a small smile on his lips. "I'll believe _that_ when you don't start flipping things over by being called the word 'short'." Alphonse replied, a devious smirk spreading across his face.

Edward glared heatedly after that, all joking gone. "Don't even say that damn _word_ around me, or I swear I _will_ start flipping shit over!" He yelled as he angrily gesticulated wildly in the air with his arms, his younger brother only laughed at him as he did.

Edward stopped all movement soon after once he felt a pair of leering eyes on his visage.

His breath stilled inside his throat in slight worry, suddenly feeling slightly uneasy, he knew they were being followed earlier, because he heard the tapping of shoes coming from directly behind them, but being followed and watched at every turn they take? Yeah, that was seriously weird.

Edward quickly turned his head to look over his shoulder and stopped in his tracks inside the surprisingly empty hallway, he looked around furiously behind them.

Once he turned around, he saw not a single person.

Only an opened window with light blue shades flowing in the small chilling breeze outside, he was pretty damn sure that he felt eyes watching them...Or to be more accurate, eyes watching _him_ just a few seconds ago.

Ed gave the empty hall a once over one last time, his confused looking eyes scanning every nook and cranny inside the hallway behind them, but caught nothing out of the ordinary.

His breathing once again became calm when he saw no one come from behind the corner. Someone was following them…But now they seemed to be gone.

_'__It could've only been a student looking for the right class.' _Edward noted inside his head. But he still had an inkling feeling that that wasn't the case.

"Is something wrong Ed?" Alphonse asked from beside him as he too started looking for whatever Edward was looking at inside the hallway with a confused expression written across his face.

Edward slowly shook his head and began walking with a carefree smile on his face back in the direction of their first class. "Nothing Al!" Edward stated nonchalantly. "Just thought I heard something...Maybe it was a cat. But who cares? Let's go to class Al! We're probably missing the teacher's introduction already!" Edward stated eagerly as he began running down the brightly lit hallway with his brother taking his side as they began rushing through the empty hallways, and over to the classroom door with the number 11 written right on the very front of the window on the door and then the capital letter "L" scrawled beside it.

When Edward and Alphonse finally made it to the classroom door and briskly waltz inside, Alphonse was the first one to go over to the teacher and quickly apologize and excused themselves for their tardiness.

The teacher and Alphonse quickly got acquainted with, Al was already getting on the good side of the very pretty—and surprisingly _young_—looking teacher. Edward was relieved that his younger brother was more of a people person than he ever was at that moment.

As Edward stood off to the side and away from Alphonse and the conversing teacher, he chose to stand just further away from the oak wood desk situated right in front of the entire classroom and smack dab in the center of the aisles of desks; and nervously he tugged on the braid behind his head and looked away from the peering eyes of the gawking students sitting inside their desk in the classroom.

_'I hate standing in front of classrooms...Everyone always stares.' _Edward pursed his bottom lip in displeasure and continued to look away from the staring students and out the window situated just beside the oak desk of the teacher._ 'They're probably wondering who the hell we are.'_ Edward scowled at the thought and shuffled his feet uncomfortably. _'Wouldn't blame them if they're wondering who we are...They probably never got new students before...Wait, this is fucking L.A! They should be used to people coming and going from this huge school!' _He was abruptly interrupted out of his thoughts when he felt a light bump on his arm beside him.

Quickly looking beside him and over to Alphonse, who stood abnormally straight beside him, he raised a questioning eyebrow and nudged him back.

"What?" He asked rudely as he crossed his arms over his chest. All around him, he heard snickers throughout the classroom, that's when he felt a faint blush creep up on his cheeks; he cursed his name to HELL after not hearing a single word of what Al and the teacher were discussing earlier.

Beside Alphonse, Edward heard the teacher lightly chuckle under her breath as well and watched as the tall blonde woman gestured towards the classroom with a small smile on her young face.

"I asked you Mr. Elric, if you would like to introduce yourself to the classroom. If you wouldn't mind, it's the classic procedure to all classroom rules." She stated calmly.

And that's when Edward finally took notice of how young the teacher really was, she probably wasn't as young as he thought she was, but if Edward were to put a number on her, she would be 27-years-old at the youngest. Her bright blonde hair was done up in a simple pony-tail, then held up securely with a black clip which was embroidered with small sapphire stones on both sides, as she wore a long black skirt that hugged her figure perfectly, including the simple white blouse that went with the entire outfit tastefully. She certainly was pretty, but with every pretty face there has to be an intimidating figure behind it.

Snapping out of his thoughts of the teacher, Edward rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably and cleared his throat. "Oh...U-uh...Sure I guess..." Edward trailed off nervously as he looked down to his boots. With a sharp intake of breath he looked back up to the class and looked around at each student, everyone was his age, some looked older, and some looked to not be paying any attention at all to him.

And for those insolent boobs with the attention spans of mice, he was grateful for.

He soon thumbed his chest with sudden determination and imagined himself that he was on top of a huge podium peering down and over his subjects.

"I'm Edward Elric, I only came to this school because me and my brother were kicked out of our last house in Arizona Phoenix. I'm in Grade 11. And if you have ANYTHING to say about me then say it to my face!" He practically shouted at all of the students.

Who looked to be disinterested.

And that's when he shrunk in on himself and glanced over to the bemused looking teacher, who slowly started scrawling down notes inside the clipboard she held in her hands. "Is that what you wanted me to do?" He asked warily, scratching the back of his head with a small smile on his face.

"Y-yeah…To the point…" Mumbled the teacher. "Although I hadn't expected such a fast and blatantly put introduction." She stated, uncomfortably clearing her throat and soon gestured towards the classroom. "The both of you may now take your seats; unfortunately this classroom had been _surprisingly_ filled this semester, so I'm sorry to say that the two of you might have to be separated for the time being."

And that's exactly what Edward dreaded for her to say.

"Edward, you can take the empty seat further in the back closest the window, and Alphonse you can take the empty seat several chairs up from Edward's." She announced to the two blonde boys still standing directly in front of the class.

Edward nodded his head in reluctance as he and Alphonse sluggishly stalked their way to their seats separate from each other, and took one last wary look to one another, before they split up and took different seats away from each other.

_'So much for being together in our classes...' _Edward thought with a small pout of displeasure.

When he got comfortable enough inside the desk, he took out his notebook, including his pencil, took out a blue pen for notes and waited for the teacher—who's name apparently was Riza Hawkeye, as it says on the golden plaque on top of her desk—to re-start her introduction of the schools time schedule and give her fast preamble of what's to expect from her Literature class.

Just as Edward was about to open up his notebook, a small folded white piece of paper hit the top of his desk silently. With a confused expression, he sheepishly looked around beside him.

In front of him was a girl with long black hair, who seemed to be ignoring him completely and he knew right away that it couldn't have been her, so he looked beside him to the student sitting to his right, and there sat a student who had his head down on top of his desk and looked to be asleep.

_'It came from behind me...?'_ Edward thought as he nervously bit his lip. He took a fast glance towards Riza Hawkeye, who seemed to be too caught up in her presentation for the class to not notice a thing, so with a nervous gulp, he took a peek over his shoulder to find a boy sitting directly behind him.

The boy looked to be around his age, if not older by how his face structure looked, which was high cheek bones, strong jawline and a straight nose. What caught Edward's attention was how long the guy's hair was, it was long enough to be put into a pony-tail, some of the hair that couldn't be tied back behind his head were the long black bangs that were swept to the right side of his face, and the long random strands of black hair fell into the boy's grinning face. The guy in front of him waved quickly and pointed to the piece of paper Edward has between two of his fingers.

"Open it..." The boy whispered, his voice surprising Edward.

He had a calm melodic sounding voice, it sure sounded small from what Edward was expecting it to sound, but Edward knew that if he ever got on the guys nerves—which Ed _also_ knew was bound to happen sometime—the guy would be able to out yell even _him,_ if angered enough.

Edward was about to shake his head and throw the piece of paper back at the guys who threw it at him and call him stupid for even trying to pass a note to him, but Ed considered the fact that it was his first day of school and also contemplated what he had promised Alphonse he _wouldn't _start on the first day of school. Which was start shit with the other students.

_'I do WANT to make friends…Just so I don't have to be alone in my afternoon classes.' _He thought with a frown. _'But then again I don't want to get kicked out of my first class for a stupid reason…_' Edward then sighed silently through his nose. _'There's no harm in note passing, is there...?'_ He thought scowling down at the small piece of paper.

So with a defeated sigh, he looked back down at the folded paper and as carefully as he could, he opened it, pouting all the while though and was very reluctant to do so. He didn't really want to open it. But what could he do now?

The paper read:

_'Hey! I'm Ling Yao. Same grade as you! Wanted to know what your next class was so that if I have enough time, I can show you around the school later. I'm not a creep. So don't worry!' _Then it shows a poorly drawn picture of a smiley face.

_'Yeah, that REALLY makes me feel better...'_ Edward thought with a scowl as he re-read the note. Then with a fast flick of his eyes shot to Riza Hawkeye, he quickly scribbled down his reply.

_'I have Math 11...I have NO IDEA where that class is.'_ Edward admitted in the note then tossed it behind his head, hoping that the dude behind him caught the note in time before it hit the floor.

After a couple seconds of Riza being the only one talking inside the classroom, he soon heard the guy named Ling chuckling lightly under his breath behind him.

And Edward started hating himself that he almost _smirked_ at the goofy sounding laugh.

When the note landed back on top of his desk, Edward slowly reached forward and snatched it off of the desk top and read it over.

_'Hah! I soooo know where it is! I'll show ya where it is once we get dismissed from THIS class. Nice chatting with ya Edward Elric.' _Then it shows another poorly drawn picture of a man doing a thumbs up.

He had to roll his eyes at the picture as he read it over a second time.

"Passing notes? I won't tolerate it in my classroom."

Edward quickly crunched up the note and swiftly shoved it in his pants pocket. "I have nothing." He poorly lied as he laid his palms out flat on his desk. He heard snickers around him, and also heard that _now familiar_, goofy sounding laugh coming from behind him once again.

Riza raised an eyebrow at the fidgety boy, and knew instantly that he was lying. She sighed in defeat and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'll let this one pass, but next time I catch you passing notes, I'm not going to be so nice." She warned the two boys, who were staring up at her with big innocent doe eyes. "I'll send you _both_ to the principal's office with a week's detention. And that's just a warning Edward. This is how I discipline all of my students. And if you don't like it, then I suggest you keep to my rules or find another teacher you can jerk around." She threatened; a fast glare of doom was then shot down directly at Edward, and then to the student sitting behind him.

"That goes for you too Ling Yao. And don't give me that crap that you were innocently writing down my notes, because I can clearly see that you weren't, by the fact that you have no notebook out and opened what-so-ever." She shot an evil glare to the student named Ling, that sat right behind the short blonde boy named Edward, and 'tsked' both of the boy's in shame.

From behind Edward, Ling raised both his hands in mock surrender with a wide grin. "Chill 'Hawkeyes'." He emphasized her last name. "Just giving Edward a friendly welcoming. Isn't that what you have taught us in the past? First impressions are key to making fast friends? " He asked with the tilt of his head. "Just giving him a small example of your excellent teachings Ms. Hawkeye." He said with a fake innocent smile as he folded his hands on top of his desk with an innocent head tilt. Imagining himself as a shining little angel with a halo on top of his head.

Riza stared at him with a deadpanned expression, before she went back to her notes that are now written on the black board. "Just take out your notebook…Smart ass." She said, mumbling the last part with a small sigh.

Immediately, the halo fell from the top of Ling's head, once the teacher had turned away, and horns began to sprout from his skull as the little wings on his back, then burst into flames.

Edward sighed under his breath in relief and began writing down the notes on the board as well_._ Just as he finished writing down only one single paragraph from the board, another note landed on his desk. He inwardly groaned, instantly knowing who the culprit was and hastily opened it up so he can quickly write down a reply on what exactly was on his mind, and as he read the note, he rolled his eyes in exasperation.

_'Don't worry, she LOVES me. So she won't send ME to the principal's office...Can't say the same for you though Noobie. Good luck though.'_

_'Gee thanks, you jerk.'_ Edward thought as he angrily began replying back, a few curse words scribble here and there, including a little something of what he wanted Ling to go and do.

"Notes again?"

"Christ!" Edward shouted in shock at the suddenly angry sounding voice coming from the teacher.

When Edward looked up, he saw his life flash before his eyes, he gave Riza a wide eyed terrified look once he saw her storming down the aisles of desks and coming over towards him with determination blazing in her hazel eyes.

"It's not my fault!" He suddenly shouted, quickly getting up and pointing directly into the smiling face of the guy—with the shifty looking eyes—sitting behind him to defend his innocence. "He's the jerk that's passing me the notes!" He accused, but before he could plead his innocence, he got pulled away by the ear and hurriedly dragged out of the Literature classroom door.

Back in the classroom, Ling Yao was practically grinning from ear to ear when the little teen, who's name was Edward Elric, got escorted out of class with that accusing little finger still pointing directly at him as he got the look of death shot to him.

Clearly what the boy was trying to say with his eyes was, 'I'll get you for this!' Before he was dragged swiftly out the door.

When the coast was clear, Ling picked up the note and read what Ed had tried to say, he smirked widely at what Edward had tried hurriedly to scribble to him.

_'You're an asshole that's gonna get me in trouble you shifty eyed son of a b—'_

And that's all he wrote.

Ling had to give Edward some credit for neat hand writing, despite the fact that he was obviously angry at him, he felt slightly bad that he was the cause for the teenager's sudden trip to the Principal's office, but at the same time he was just relived it wasn't him, Hawkeye gave him a clear warning this morning that if he even tried to cause trouble on the first day, or pulled a prank on the other students then he was going straight to the Principal's office, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars.

_'I'll apologize to him when I walk him to Math.' _He thought, confirming this with a head nod as his long pure black pony-tail, which hung loosely behind his head, bobbed slightly with the movement. A small smirk still evident on his face as he looked out the window beside him, at least now he can get some entertainment while he was in school.

* * *

_And just to clear things up, I changed up the conversations (some of them) I edited it (sorta) and I'm still working on the other chapters :) I'm hoping to end things at chapter 25. Don't want this to drag on forever...Even though I really enjoy typing this story :)_

_Just to let you know..._

_Time skips are gonna happen (as in the previous Stray Hearts I had) and things will get heated between the boys (Edvy, LingEd, and GreedEd) And I thinking of making more scenes...hot, so to speak. So if you don't like that idea, well too bad, it's gonna happen either way. This story mostly revolves around friendship (at first) between the three main characters (Ed, Envy, Ling) and a bit of a surprise is gonna happen (not yet anyways) so I hope you continue to like this story...And Again...I'm sorry I'm making all of you wait again :L I hope you don't hate me still...You probably do...But oh well._


	3. Scar Tissue

_Hope you enjoy this chapter! I had a little bit of time left after work...And I'm pooped...so tired..._

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**Chapter 3: Scar Tissue.**

"Sheesh brother...I didn't actually _think_ that you were capable of getting sent to the principal's office on the first day of school." Alphonse announced quietly from the other side of the door of the Vice Principal's office. "Winry owes me ten bucks for that bet." He said with a triumphant smile.

Just then the door to the Vice Principal's office was swung open with a loud bang, and out exited a short blonde teenager, scowl pressed firm on his face as he quickly stormed across the staff members room, through the head office room, and out the other door on the other side, shaking his head sadly at his elder brother's bad behavior, Alphonse went to quickly catch up with his storming brother.

"Wait Ed! I got you're books from class!" Alphonse stated, hurriedly going to the side of his seething brother. Sheepishly handing him his books with one eye closed for the inevitable.

Edward grumbled and chose to ignore the fact that his own brother was being jumpy around him and quickly grabbed his books from within Al's hands with a dark brooding scowl. "I didn't get detention, just a slap on the wrist since it's the first day of school." He growled out. Then groaned loudly and hid his face with the help of his books before pulling them away with a small growl.

"I owe that Ling guy a good swift kick in the ass, since it's _his_ entire fault!" Edward barked.

Alphonse raised a questioning eyebrow at his older brother. "Ling? Who's that?"

"The guy that passed me this note..." Edward grumbled as he dug around inside his black skinny jeans and pulled out a crumpled up piece of paper, then handed it to Al beside him. "He passed me another one, but I didn't get the chance to finish it and pass it back to him. Wish I did. Maybe then he would've left me alone after, that son of a—"

"—Hey there!"

"WAAAH!" Edward shouted, he instantly dropped his books in order to shove Alphonse to the side.

Hearing Alphonse scream with fright at suddenly being tossed to the side by his brother un-expectantly.

Edward was expecting a big burly jock looking for a fight, but once he swiftly turned around and only met with black shifty looking eyes—that seemed to have this thing, where his eyes just had this weird ability that was capable of peering inside of him every time their eyes met—and knew right away that it was Ling Yao.

Edward groaned aloud and kneeled down in order to pick up his fallen books. "Go away Ling. Trying to get to class without you fucking it up yenno?" He grumbled as he sluggishly piled his books on top of the other.

He stilled instantly though when he saw hands reach out and helping him.

Edward stopped his sorting to blink up in surprise. Ling was _willingly_ helping him pick up his books, without a word of "sorry" or complaints being said.

"Sorry about that by the way."

Oh, there it is, that word "sorry" he was half-expecting to be said with total sarcasm.

Ling looked up from the fallen books to give the uncertain looking teenager an apologetic smile. "I didn't actually think that you would get caught though." He smirked at this. "You gotta be sneakier than that Edward if you ever want to survive Ms. Hawkeyes class. Her last name suites her perfectly just to warn you." He quipped in with a short snort.

Edward rolled his eyes in passion and scoffed loudly. "Gee, thanks...Could've used THAT heads up earlier. Completely useless to me _now_ when I just got the boot from her class on the first day." Edward said, sighing in exasperation as he finished piling up his books, then straightened out his hunch over position.

In front of him, Ling straightened out his posture as well and handed him back the papers that fell out of a random empty notebook, a smile plastered across his face as usual.

"Thanks." Edward briskly acknowledged before turning away to continue storming down the hall, pulling a bemused looking Alphonse along with him.

"Why did you push me?" Alphonse squawked.

"Hurry up and shut up! We gotta get to class before—" Edward started to say.

"—So, you need help finding the way?"

"Jesus!" Edward cried out in surprise as he almost dropped his books a second time. "Quit sneaking up on people damn it!" Edward bristled. "Is this how you always greet people? Scaring the crap outta them then get them kicked out of their classes?" Edward accused as he let go of his younger brother's sweater sleeve and huffed in annoyance at the tag-along that is Ling.

Who only smiled brightly as he closed his shifty looking eyes. "Yep! So need help finding Math class?" He asked yet again, once he re-opened his eyes to stare down into the glaring gold colored eyes of Edward Elric's, he couldn't help but blink in surprise when he finally noticed a second person standing beside the short blonde that is Edward, and tilted his head in confusion.

The both of them looked the same, the only difference between the two was that one had long bright blonde hair kept in a braid, and the other was cut short and spiked here and there around the dirty blonde colored head. If Ling wasn't mistaken, they were brother's.

Ling plastered on a grin and took a step toward the tallest of the two, the one with the short dirty blonde hair. "I'm sorry; don't believe I know your name." He said with a small apologetic smile as he held out his hand in greeting. "Ling Yao. Grade 11."

Alphonse smiled nervously as he took the out stretched hand. "Alphonse Elric, Edwards's younger brother." He replied sheepishly. "Grade 10." He quickly quipped in.

"Younger?" Ling tilted his head once again. "But why is Ed the short one?" He smirked deviously.

"Don't call—" Can't say that Alphonse never tried.

"Who're you calling a fucking bean sprout that you have to use a magnifying glass in order to see me with?!" Edward roared.

Right in the middle of the hallway, and so loudly that all the students walking around them, all stopped dead in their tracks and held their breath, waiting for a chance to see a fight breaking out in the hallway.

Edward quickly lunged for the throat of Ling within seconds of Ling calling him that dreaded fucking word.

Only for Ling to quickly dodge the attack—big grin still alight on his face—and leaving Edward momentarily surprised at how fast the guy can move. In only a matter of seconds, Ling looked as though he was doomed, the cause of his death was going to be by strangulation of course, but in no time flat, he ducked his head, took a good leap back and was standing several feet away from the bemused looking blonde-haired teen.

Alphonse was also quick to react, he grabbed Edward from under his arms to try and subdue his attack on the smirking teenager that is Ling, and held a tight grasp around his arms and held Edward firmly in place.

"You promised me no fighting on the first day!" Alphonse complained, holding his brother by the arms and grunting every time the little teenager tried jumping out of his grasp.

"I promised nothing! Get over here you shifty eyed old man!" Edward hollered with rage, still trying desperately to claw the smiling guy's shifty eyes out.

But then Ed grinned cruelly when Ling gave a sudden hurt expression as he pointed to himself.

"Old?" Ling cried. "I'm fifteen! I was born like this, why do you think I always try to smile?" Ling defended himself, crossing his arms in defiance as he raised his nose in the air haughtily.

"Besides…" Ling trailed off suggestively, smirking over to Ed, who only gave him a confused expression. "You would've been happy to be born with this kind of face, it would've made you look much older than what you look like now. How old did you saw you were again? 12?" Ling stated, grinning widely when Edward only roared from the top of his lungs and tried desperately to wrench himself free from his younger brother's arms.

"Let me go! This bastard has to die!" Edward shrieked.

And finally, Edward managed to tug himself free from Alphonse's strong hold and quickly he lunged for Ling again, a loud battle cry rung throughout the hallways as Edward dashed towards the smirking long-haired teenager.

The students around them inside the hallway cheered with glee they were finally going to see the two teen's fight in the hall.

Alphonse's ears were still slightly ringing from the loud and angry roar that came from his brother.

And he soon gave up on trying to subdue his elder brother with a heavy sigh of disdain. "Why am I always the one trying to break up the fights? Isn't that the older brother's duty?" Al said, hanging his head in misery at his older brother's ignorance of how immature he always acted. "I really am going to have grey hair by the time I'm 20...!" He muttered under his breath, glad that the cheering students around him couldn't have heard his sad announcement.

_'No girl would want to go out with me with white hair...!' _Al thought as he hid his face in both his hands.

* * *

"Lunch." Edward deadpanned as he quickly gathered his books and stuffed them into his back-pack sitting beside him by his desk.

He was done with his Biology work fifteen minutes early and was mostly sitting in class being bored, drawing doodles on his books, and thinking about how Ling is such a dick.

When the bell finally sounded, indicating that it was exactly 12:00, that meant that the students now have time to themselves and get to have a lunch break.

As he finished rounding up all his books and piling them in a half-assed manner into his duffle bag, he quickly got up from his desk and began zigzagging through the students that were already beginning to disperse from inside the Biology 11 classroom. Thankfully that annoying Ling guy didn't have the same class as he did.

Nor did they go to Math 11 together either.

"Elric!"

Edward's head perked up at the sudden call of his sir name and he looked around within the close knit group of students surrounding him in the middle of the classroom, turning his head in every direction from inside the classroom, he saw no one looking at him, and definitely didn't see anyone coming towards him either.

_'__I'll just wait until everyone else has gotten the hell out of here before I start looking.' _Edward thought, crossing his arms over his chest in impatience, until finally he was the only one left standing inside the classroom, glad that he can finally be able see without the students cutting off his line of view, he looked over to the teacher who stood there with a smile on his face.

"Hey Ed!" The man smiled brightly, the dark purple glasses situated in front of his eyes, fell slightly from his nose at the sudden wave of his hand.

Edward soon gave a small smile as well and a small wave of his hand, "Were you the one calling me Mr. Hughes?" He asked politely as he walked over to the man with oddly colored dark green hair, noticing a single strand of hair poking out from the center of his head that then looped low and close between his eyes as he stood with a smile on his middle-aged—but still very handsome looking—face.

"That was me," Mr. Hughes—or Edward's Bio teacher—confirmed with a smile. The man scratched under his dark bearded chin as he leaned against his big steel desk that stood in the center of the entire classroom. "Just wanted that sheet back that Mr. Graham handed to you this morning, yenno, that application sheet to let me know whether or not you were actually enrolled into L.A Central High?" He asked with a small tilt of his head.

Edward quirked an eyebrow up at the man but un-zipped his back-pack anyways. "How do you know that Mr. Graham handed me a sheet from this morning?" He questioned as he plucked it out from the front of his duffle bags pocket and handed it to Hughes.

Who only smiled as he clapped the young boy on his shoulder, rather roughly might Edward add, as he began laughing loudly above the teenager. "I may be the teacher of Biology, but I'm also this school's Principal! That's why you didn't see me this morning, I was busy getting this classroom ready for the students arrivals." Maes Hughes, the biology teacher/principal announced with a huge grin to his constantly smiling visage.

Edward gaped. Obviously a little taken aback that this nice man was actually the hard ass principal he heard students murmuring about inside the hallways of the school. "YOUR the principal? But why're you—"

"—Nice?" Hughes interjected with a small smile. "I'm a principal; I have to get to know each and every one of my students. Doesn't mean that I don't like it, because I enjoy it a lot, new faces, old faces, it doesn't matter. Every student here is now my responsibility and I'm happy either way to teach them lessons about life and education." He explained with a kind smile.

Edward couldn't help but give the man a genuine happy smile as he huffed a small chuckle. He had a feeling that this was the type of man he could easily give some respect to. For once.

He soon perked his head when he heard Hughes hum under his breath as he read over Edward's registration form. "Everything seems to be in check with your form. Here you go, you can go to the cafeteria for lunch break now. I don't want to see you wondering about inside the school though. Especially picking fights." he quickly chided with a waggle of his finger as Edward took back his registration form with a small nervous smile.

"Heh...Sorry I started a fight in the middle of your hallway again..." Edward apologized meekly as he remembered his and Ling's little dispute in the middle of the biology hallway, with cheering students crowding all around them.

Hughes was fortunate enough to have come by and break the two apart. But that doesn't mean that they got off scat free, Edward got a day of detention after school as did Ling when they got yanked apart.

In front of Edward, Hughes shook his head with a small smile playing at his lips. "Just don't do it again Edward...Or my supervisor might not be so considerate when he hears word that you had a fight and I only gave you one day of detention."

"Yes sir," Edward quickly saluted the man who saluted back with a smirk, then the teenager turned around and began heading into the direction of the cafeteria.

Edward remembered the conversation he had with that crazy old man (Mr. Graham) that morning, that the cafeteria was located down on the last floor of the school building, and that today they were getting burgers since it's a "Joyous" occasion of the first day of school.

Edward rolled his eyes passionately. _'Yeah, right, 'joyous occasion' my ass...Me and a guy named Ling getting into a scrap in the middle of the hallway, getting a whole day of detention on top of that was a very 'enjoyable day' indeed...Pssh...Stupid Ling.'_ Edward thought with a hard scowl on his face.

Ed can still remember the guy's smug look on his face after they were both told that they were spending a day of detention together after school as punishment.

He can also hear his voice inside his head mocking him.

_"That was fun; I never scrapped like that in a long time. Let's not do it again though, you sure can punch for such a SMALL competitor," Ling stated with a small smile as he rubbed at his jaw gingerly. Then he quickly grinned back up at a seething blonde teenager. "I'll see you when it's lunch break Edward. Later!" Then the guy waved a quick good-bye—with a great big fake grin on his face—as he swiftly ran out of the vice principals door without giving Edward the satisfaction of finally getting his hands wrapped around his throat, strangling and swearing at him like no tomorrow._

Edward soon snapped back into reality when he finally made it down four flights of stairs, where he then took a sharp right turn to where he was instructed that the cafeteria was located, further down the hallway he just turned from, and round a left hand corner where he will then be faced with the cafeteria double doors.

The Vice Principal also told Edward that the cafeteria's back-doors would be left open on the warmer days, meaning that today, the doors leading into the outside lunch tables and benches will be open for any of the students willing to eat outside.

_'__It's beautiful out, maybe I should go eat out there once I find Alphonse.' _Edward thought, smiling happily as he rounded the last turn leading to the cafeteria doors.

But just as he had that fresh in his mind, a dark brooding scowl replaced his expression and he groaned loudly when he realized that Ling would most likely be looking around the cafeteria for him.

_'__I just wanna find Al, eat, and get the hell outta here before that weirdo finds me.' _Edward grumbled inside his head.

Once he walked in through the double doors of the cafeteria hall and was greeted by the smell of burgers, overly greased fries, and the fresh scent of the outdoors, he all but forgotten about the whole Ling incident as his stomach roared hungrily for sustenance.

_'Be still my growling stomach,'_ He halfheartedly willed his stomach.

Zigzagging his way through the crowding students, he was finally in the cafeteria lunch line. When he turned his head to look over his right arm shoulder, he was met with the sight of four steel double doors, all of them opened, and that's when he caught notice that half of the students were already piled on most of the benches outside, and the other half were already sitting at the tables inside the cafeteria.

He pursed his bottom lip in displeasure, now where was he gonna find Al?

_'__I should look around here, and then head out.' _He thought, nodding his head at his own idea as he turned his entire attention to the lunch line before him.

He stuck his tongue out in concentration as he dug around inside his jeans pocket for his lunch money. _'I gotta have at least 5 bucks in here somewhere...There it is!' _He announced happily inside his head as he pulled the money out, an eager grin on his face as the line was getting closer to the lunch ladies who were handing out burgers and fries.

Edward noticed that there also seemed to be poutine on the menu as well when he saw one lunch lady pile on cheese and a whole spoon-full of gravy onto a student's lunch tray, and Edward's stomach only growled and roared at the sight of gravy and cheese, two of his favorite condiments that complimented food perfectly together.

_'__Now I REALLY can't wait to eat!' _Edward smiled brightly at the food, which he was heading nearer to.

"Keep walking pipsqueak! Other people in line too!"

And there goes his good mood, shooting itself in the face and flinging its own dead carcass out of the cafeteria lunch window.

With a low deep growl escaping his lips, Edward swiftly turned around inside the lunch line and was about to unleash all hell onto the poor fool who dared to call him short.

That is until the blonde shaggy haired teenager got whacked upside the head by someone behind him in the line.

With a lunch tray.

Edward flinched back at how loud that cafeteria lunch tray smacked into the head of the teen in front of him, and cringed at how it just seemed to echo throughout the cafeteria.

"Ahh!" The guy that called Edward 'pipsqueak', cried out in pain as he kneeled onto the cafeteria floor, holding his now sore head in both his hands.

Edward looked up from the kneeling teenager and up towards the person that just hit the poor kid in the head with a lunch tray.

Once he looked up from behind his own lunch tray—what? He had to protect himself too—Edward is met with a set of deep auburn colored eyes, the guy standing in front of him wore black-spiked wristbands on both his wrist with silver rings on each of his middle fingers, he had an odd black and red tattoo on his left hand, the guy had short spikey black hair that reminded him of the old 50's styled slicked back greaser hair-do, he also had an evil twisted smirk on his face as if he was proud of himself that he just assaulted a teenager that looked younger than he did while standing in the line for cafeteria food—that may or may not have been worth the hit at all.

One thing that Edward DID like about the guy, was that he had a pretty awesome tattoo. A dragon looking as though it's either chasing or eating its own tail as a single star sat just inside of the curled tail dragon.

"Just shut your mouth before you say anything else you might regret." The dark haired teenager practically spat into the teary eyed face of the teenager.

The dark-haired guy soon looked up from the poor excuse of a man kneeling on the floor, and is met with rather shocked looking gold colored eyes—that seemed to shine in the lighting above their heads—a small light-hearted smile lit his features as the boy still continued to look at him in complete shock.

He looked rather adorable if he did say so himself, all scared and staring up at him as though he might attack him as well. Adorable fear.

"Wha-what did you just do?" Edward gasped as he knelled down to the floor; he reached for teenager, who he noticed was already beginning to form a nasty looking bruise on the left side of his eye and cheek.

But was startled out of his wits when the teenager suddenly slaps both his helping hands away from him.

"Get away from me!" The teenager shouted in utter disdain as he swiftly got up and ran out of the cafeteria hall.

Edward continued to kneel on the floor, staring wide eyed at the fast retreating figure of the hurt teenager, hands sore, but that wasn't the only thing that was stinging him.

"He was obviously pissing you off, so I just thought I would step in and help out a fellow student." The dark-haired teenager announced coolly he also knelled down beside the shocked looking blonde haired boy. He tilted his head curiously as the boy didn't reply. "I'm Greed by the way." He introduced himself.

And pouted just a bit when he still didn't get an answer from the boy in front of him.

"Whaaaat?" The older teenager dragged out. "Did you not like my methods of teaching a bitchin' student a lesson?" Greed laughed as he straightened out his kneeling posture to crack his back. Hearing a few joints crack here and there.

Edward scowled darkly as he slowly got up from the floor. "But you didn't have to give the kid a concussion! Besides that was my fight to deal with! Who the hell are you to step in like that anyways?!" Edward shouted, taking several steps towards the guy and yanked on the collar of his black shirt down to his height. Just so he can stare eye-to-eye with the lunatic.

The guy put up both of his hands in show of surrender with a small smirk on his face.

Edward was slightly taken aback at how sharp the guy's teeth looked.

"My name is Greed, as I just explained to you earlier." The older teen—Greed—said with a smile. "Now if you don't mind...You're ruining my shirt." He said with a sly smile as he grabbed the wrist of the blonde haired boy in his hand and pulled the shorter teen forward, practically nose to nose at the distance he pulled the blonde-haired boy forward.

Greed actually surprised himself that he was able to wrap his whole hand around the shorter teenager's wrist.

Edward huffed and pulled away from Greed's touch.

Disgusted that Greed's hand managed to touch the bare skin of his wrist.

"Leave me 'lone." Ed slurred as he quickly grabbed his tray and marched off, not before taking two burgers, a large order of poutine, and _then_ swiftly walking away.

Greed's smiled never left his lips as he watched the shorter teen, with the long shining blonde hair, sway his hips as he tried to hurriedly leave him behind. His round ass making him shiver in anticipation. Oh yes...He would enjoy this one. _'Mmm...Fresh meat, innocent looking too, probably a virgin...Been a while since I had a good lay.'_ Greed thought as he licked his lips in anticipation. He never wanted anything more.

Edward was still disgusted that the _Greed guy_ managed to touch him—even though it was only his wrist that got violated by his hand—he still felt grossed out by the mere thought of him.

There was something about that guy that Edward despised. And Edward wasn't the kind of guy to judge a book by its cover, and then hate it quickly after.

But if he got grossed out, and his skin prickled by the mere thought of that guy, than there is something obviously off about Greed.

Shaking his head away from those unpleasant thoughts, he began sweeping his eyes around the large cafeteria hall, in search for his younger brother. "Where is he...?" Edward trailed off uneasily.

He knew that Alphonse wasn't the type to get lost, he knew his brother too well, Al kept perfect track of everything and everybody around him. But still...They _were_ in a new school...And it _was_ their first day.

"Alphonse..." Edward whispered, his stomach dropping when he hadn't caught sight of that familiar clean-cut short blonde head of hair anywhere. _'What if he's...?'_

"Lost?"

"Dear God!" Edward shouted in surprise, almost throwing his food tray up in the air once he jumped back from the voice behind his ear. When he swiftly turned around, he groaned aloud. "Ling..."

Ling tilted his head to the side with a confused expression, his black pony-tailed hair sweeping over his shoulder as he did. "Why do you sound so disappointed? Looking for someone?" Ling suggested as he too started looking around for whoever Edward Elric was looking for, then he realized. "Hey is that your brother?" He stated with a grin.

Edward whipped his head in the direction to where Ling's finger was pointing at. "Where?" He shouted as he looked around frantically.

"Right there, follow me." Ling said as he began walking down and through the many students lined and piled on top of, and around, the cafeteria benches, the students were already ravenously eating their cafeteria food, and half of the rest, were already outside doing the same.

Ling looked over his shoulder and smiled in delight when he noticed the short blonde teenager was walking closely behind him, smiling for the fact that the antenna looking strand of hair was bouncing with each of the boy's hurried movements.

When Ling was getting closer to the empty cafeteria bench he saw Edward's young brother residing in, he smiled with joy when the short haired boy caught sight of him and waved with a bright smile on his face.

"Ling! Over here!" Alphonse shouted.

Edward perked his head at that oh so familiar sounding voice and eagerly pushed Ling out of his view. "Al!" Edward cried jovially as he rushed to the bench to glomp onto his younger brother. "I thought you got lost or fell asleep on the toilet! I'm so glad you're OK!"

"Bro—ther—yer...Choking..." Alphonse gasped, weakly petting his older brother on his arm as a way to loosen his grip Edward had on his neck.

Edward dropped his younger brother with a smirk as he sat right next to him with his tray of food. "Hey! So how are your classes without your older brother? Come on, don't be shy or bashful, they sucked big ones without me didn't they?" Edward asked as he stuck his nose in the air proudly, posing with what he thought portrayed true confidence and power.

To a witnessing Ling and an embarrassed looking Alphonse, the both of them weren't so convinced that that was what he was trying to go for.

Alphonse only smiled meekly and scratched the back of his head. "Well...Hate to break this to you brother, cause I know it'll hurt your feelings and all but..." He trailed off nervously, but then beamed a smile at his scowling brother. "There awesome! Quiet, but fun nonetheless!" Alphonse admitted as he bit into his burger eagerly as he waited for Edward to flip his lid—as he always did—that he was having fun without him.

Edward shrugged and took a huge bite out of his burger and chewed loudly.

Irritating his younger brother, for the fun of it.

"Domph mimb—"chew chew "—My classes aren't as bad either." Edward finished, loudly slurping from his Coke can with his straw.

He noticed Ling and Alphonse both cringing at how loud the he was being on purpose, just for the fact that Edward knew it annoyed the crap outta Al, and he just wanted Ling to go jump in a lake for all he cared.

Ling cleared his throat as he softly bit off a fry he held between his thumb and forefinger. "So which classes are you in?" He asked the younger Elric brother casually.

"Me?" Alphonse asked as he pointed to his face and smiling small when Ling nodded his head. "Well my first class is with Ed, which is Literature, second is Math 11, also with Ed, but then I'm alone for the rest of my classes, which those are…Science, Psychology, Art and then last is Chemistry." Alphonse hurriedly explained as he finished his fries then looked up with a grin. "What about you Ling?" He asked soon after.

"Me? Well...I have the first class with you guys in the morning, Literature, then Physics 12, Home Room, Chemistry 11—" Ling started.

Edward cut him off with a loud and disdainful groan as he slammed his head on the table.

Ling and Al both stared at the suddenly sick looking Edward.

"Is something wrong Ed?" Alphonse asked as he tilted his head in concern. "Eating too much again?" He smirked.

"No." Edward snapped. "I just…Got the same class with HIM." He pointed directly to the smirking face of Ling with a scowl across his own face.

Ling only shrugged and chewed on a fry silently. "I can see you're thrilled about me." He teased as he took a shot out of Edward's Coca-cola can, smirking victoriously when he managed to dodge the shorter teenager's hands that lunged for his throat. "I also have History 11—" He got another loud groan from Ed. "And finally...Physical Education." He pronounced slowly, for dramatic affect.

The long-haired teenager would absolutely LOVE IT if he managed to get most of his classes with Edward, just so he can annoy the crap outta the little guy. So he can at least have someone to pick on, and have a person to actually mock him right back.

It isn't fun having friends who couldn't take one of his mean jokes once in a while, no fun at all.

For Ling, joking and teasing is a new and better way to form a more comfortable and meaningful friendship. No one would be able to break a friendship like that. Joking was the strongest kind of friendship he knew and was most comfortable with, for the fact that that's what he grew up with. That kind of friendship was enjoyable, and the relationship kind, yenno…Hand holding, kissing, and all that jazz. He really does ENJOY those kinds of relationships too.

Girls, with their long hair, beautiful faces and cute personalities, what's not to like about girls?

Either than the fact that they can be kinda…Well—bitchy—once a month.

Ling was snapped rather rudely out of his thoughts when he heard Edward groaning and shouting out curse words inside both his hands, which were covered over his face.

"What? Do I have some classes with you?" Ling teased, smirking heartlessly at the angry glare he received from the runt in red.

"Come on big brother." Alphonse sighed heavily. "Ling was the only one that offered to help you when we first came to school. You should've thanked him like a civilized person, instead of beating him inside the hallway." Alphonse defended, scolding his brother with a sharp glare.

"Thank him for what?" Edward argued. "For getting me kicked out of my first class? For getting me detention? Or for calling me that Godforsaken name?" He questioned heatedly.

"Godforsaken...?" Ling trailed off as he looked up towards the ceiling in thought. "Oh yeah..." He smiled happily. He actually forgot that he called this here little shorty in front of him, a shorty.

_'So he has height issues?' _Ling thought with interest._ 'Hmm...I can use that to my advantage someday...' _Ling thought, evil smirk spreading across his face.

Edward slammed both fists onto the cafeteria table top, forcing Ling out of his thoughts.

"Don't just drift off to Ling-Land! Beg me for forgiveness then maybe I might respect you just a little bit!" He harshly spat, glaring into the dark eyes of Ling, crossing his arms angrily. "Waiting!" He roared, already impatient.

Ling wasn't going to budge, nope. He wasn't the type of guy to cave in on other people's demands...But with the look he's getting from a scornful little bean sprout, he felt his insides twist and turn at the thought of him actually managing to get his little hands on him and finally being able to strangle the life out of him.

And personally? He didn't like that idea so much.

Not unless he apologized now, just to get it over with, and out of Edward's mind so he can actually get to know the short stack a bit more.

So with a heavy sigh of defeat he bowed his head at the table. "Fine...I'm sorry Edward Elric for stating the cold truth. It won't happen again." He quickly apologized, smiling to himself for the fact that he also insulted Edward in between his apology.

"That's much better." Edward nodded as he started eating loudly once again. But then scowled and looked at the happily smirking Ling. "You think you're so smart huh?" Edward scowled, picked up a fry and threw it at Ling's forehead.

"Are you looking for a food fight?" Ling suggested slyly, already picking up most of his fries in between his fingers.

"Bite me." Edward deadpanned.

"You would like it." Ling smiled.

Edward wrinkled his nose. "What? The food fight? Or the biting?"

"Your choice." Ling replied.

"I'd rather have a face full of food than have you anywhere near me." Edward retorted.

Ling feigned a look of pain. "You wound me with your words." He stated dramatically.

Edward rolled his eyes. "And you annoy me with yours. We're even."

"When do you stop being mean?" Ling asked casually.

"When you take the hint and leave."

"You're an ass."

"I know, you'll get used to that." Edward smirked.

"Both of you guys are difficult." Alphonse shook his head. "Both of you argue over nothing."

"You're just jealous that I'm having a conversation." Edward teased, sticking his tongue out immaturely.

His brother merely rolled his eyes. "Please, you call that a conversation? You're dissing him."

"At least I didn't make any gay jokes about him." Edward defended. Nose high in the air.

Ling raised an eyebrow. "And what's that supposed to mean?" He inquired. "Are you telling me I look gay?" He gasped.

"That's Ed's way of asking if you're gay or not." Alphonse smiled happily.

Edward scowled darkly. "Bullshit! I'm just saying—"

"I'm not." Ling answered with a bright smile. "But for you babe. I can be." Ling stated slyly, winking at Edward.

Who only stuck the middle finger out at him. "And again, piss off."

* * *

"Aahh~" Edward sighed in content as he finished packing his meal away inside his now full stomach.

Including Al's last few bites of his burger.

And laid his entire body onto the right hand side of the cafeteria bench, resting his sneakers on top of Al's legs as he lazily pulled on his braid behind his head to move it out of his way for him to rest his head on the bench.

"That was an awesome first lunch from the usually crappy cafeteria food!" He exclaimed with a loud burp.

"Yeah, my thanks to the Chef," Ling stated as he too laid on the other side of the bench, resting his boots on the cafeteria table top as he laid his hands behind his black-pony-tailed head, yawning loudly as he did.

Alphonse sat there, with Ed's sneakers on his lap, looking from between the two older teenagers who are both laid out flat on each side of the bench. _'They both act the same...' _Al thought with a shiver. _'I hope Ling isn't a hot-head as my brother. That would prove to be difficult if they keep hanging out together like this.' _Just as Alphonse had that in mind, he blinked in surprise when both of the teenager's stretched loudly and started resting again after that. _'Alright...That was just freaky...'_

Edward scratched at his head lightly and then got up from the bench. "Now what do we do?" He asked Alphonse. He pointed behind him and over to the clock on the other side of the wall. "We still got time to kill, wanna check it out outside?"

Alphonse nodded his head eagerly. "That would be cool! I never got to walk around the school grounds yet and see what the whole place looks like."

Ling shrugged his shoulders as he peeled himself off of the cafeteria bench. "You ain't missing out on anything, but I can take you guys to all the fun places." He stated excitedly.

Edward scowled. "And who invited you?"

"Ed, we don't know this place, he might actually be a lot of help." Alphonse stated, hinting at his older brother to "shut it, and let him help."

Ling surrendered. "Hey, now I can take the hint. You don't want me here."

Edward nodded his head.

Getting a slap to the shoulder from his younger brother.

Ling smirked widely. "But too bad I don't listen to faulty hints. Let me show you guys around!" The long-haired teenager exclaimed loudly.

Already up and waiting for the two blonde haired teenagers to join.

Edward sighed heavily in defeat and got up from the cafeteria bench, but then shivered in repulse when he felt a pair of leering eyes behind him.

The blonde-haired teenager looked around furiously behind him_. 'Who is it?'_ He accused loudly inside his head as he continued to look around the cafeteria, most of the students by now were leaving due to the fact that the bell would momentarily ring indicating it was now class time.

But he wanted to know _now_ who the hell it was that kept leering at him as if he was a piece of meat.

_'Greed?'_ He thought furiously, eyebrows knitting together in both confusion and anger.

"Well, well," who's your tiny friend ding-a-Ling?"

Edward jumped and gave a startled gasp as he turned his head over his shoulder, those were the eyes. Those were the eyes and he knew it! They had to be by how the guy was just peering into his own eyes, unblinking and still smirking as he eyed him up and down.

Edward first noticed the eyes, a very odd shade of dark purple, a very large smirk on his pale face, long dark green stringy looking hair that reminded Edward of a crazed palm tree, wearing a dark purple folded bandana across his forehead that had a black pentacle in the very front of it, and very tight black clothing. A form fitting black muscle shirt, that hugged every curve and groove of the guy's skinny (Yet masculine) looking body, and tight black skinny jeans that hung low from his hips, slightly revealing the pale skin by the hem of his pants.

"Got a good look blondie?" The guy stated in a sly and teasing voice as he posed—just for the sake that the kid in front of him would most likely blush dark red in embarrassment—and soon he laughed hysterically at the very predictable reaction.

Edward hid his face with the long sleeve of his black shirt, but soon glared heatedly at the guy and pulled his arm away, trying hard to school his surprised expression. "Who are you? And what do you want?" Edward questioned, his voice mean and intimidating.

Well, at least as intimidating as he could put it. A very small squeak was evident at the end of his sentence though.

The long green-haired guy in front of him just shrugged casually with a small smirk. "Just wanted to see what got my so called 'brother' acting so disgusting...Now I can see why." He stated slyly, looking back to the shorter boy and glanced at him up and down. "You're a sight for sore eyes short stuff. My name is Envy." He introduced, holding out his hand, but swiftly dodged the foot that came flying by his head. "Whoa!"

"Don't call me short! It really pisses me off and makes me want to punch a few noses in you long-haired psycho!" Edward yelled, cracking his knuckles in the center of his palms, getting himself ready for a fight if push came to shove.

Or if he simply got called the dreaded "S" word again.

Envy raised his hands with a smirk on his face. "Don't want to fight you Edward, just came to say hello to an old friend of mine." He stated nonchalantly, then looked down furiously at the guy sitting and observing the whole show from the cafeteria bench. "What's new Ling? Still chasing after girls?" Envy asked, sneering down at that familiar emotionless face.

Ling snorted. "Yeah, sorry to disappoint you Envy." He snapped back, choosing to get up from the table and walk away. "Let's go." He deadpanned to the two brothers as he grabbed his and the Elric brother's trays in his hands and as quickly as he could, stormed away from the bench.

Edward smirked at that perfectly chosen come back, and went to follow his brother and Ling, wanting to get away from the Envy guy as fast as he can. Just because Edward thought of him as a freaky fucker, but just as he turned to walk away, a hand reached out and grabbed his wrist in a tight clasp.

Edward quickly turned his head over his shoulder to stare wide eyed at the guy with the long-dark green colored hair, Envy looked like he completely forgotten all about his and Ling's little dispute by the small smirk he now had plastered across his face.

"Not so fast shorty…Just wanted to give you a little heads up..." Envy said, his eyes glowing with an emotion Edward couldn't quite understand.

And just as Edward was about to snap at that the guy that called him short a second time, his whole body went cold and rigged when he felt Envy close by his ear and neck, the guy's breath practically heating the outside of his earlobe at how short a distance he was at his side.

And Edward couldn't help but flinch instinctively at the touch.

"It's about Greed...Stay away from him whatever you do. I don't want to see a pretty face like yours getting hurt." Envy whispered briskly into his ear.

Edward ignored the fact that his body felt completely immobilized by the mere distance Envy had with him, and then completely despised himself that when Envy pulled away, he had gave a short sigh of relief.

That asshole smirk was once again back on Envy's face as he let go of Edward's wrist and took a step back away from him to look him in the eye once again. The smile Envy had plastered on his face, made Edward want to tear him a new one, just for rendering him frightened and made him feel vulnerable for a fast couple of seconds.

"Don't let him fool you kiddo." Envy said, shooting a warning glare into Edward's slightly widened eyes. The long-haired teenager soon smirked as he pulled his hand away from Ed's wrist. "See you around." Envy announced, swiftly turning around and began jogging down the cafeteria hall, and over to a girl.

Who Edward noticed that that was the girl who sat in front of him during Lit class. The girl that had long black and wavy hair.

Edward couldn't help but purse his lip at how beautiful the girl was, she didn't even look like she belonged in high school, but at a college for how...Erm...Well-proportioned her body seemed to be.

Screw being formal and gentle-man like, she looked fucking gorgeous with her long hair and gigantic jugs!

Edward's pulled his head away from the smirking duo who looked over their shoulders back at him, Edward mainly looked away for the fact that Envy seemed to be smiling and pointing at him as he conversed with the girl with the jugs.

His thoughts still swirling around frantically inside his head at the warning that he got and what exactly just took place.

_'How come Envy came to...Warn me? And about Greed for that matter...? Why? Not only that but he said 'came to say hello to an old friend of mine' and that was Ling he was talking about! How do they know each other? They both looked like they wanted to kill each other by how…Menacing their glares were…What the hell does it mean...? What's up with that Greed guy anyways...?'_

"Are you coming brother?"

Edward was snapped out of his train of thoughts and flinched at the sudden call of his name. He then picked up his slow pace and jogged towards the two awaiting teenagers at the cafeteria doors with a small scowl on his face. "Don't rush me! I was busy!"

"With what?" Alphonse asked curiously, looking back into the direction where he saw strange looking retreating figures.

Edward rolled his eyes and snapped. "With my thoughts." He stated dryly. "God, can't a guy think any more without being questioned about it? Let's just get to class already the bell rung a few minutes ago!" He quickly changed the subject, all but grappling with Ling so he can kick him the hell out of the cafeteria and out of his way.

"Move it ding-a-Ling!" Edward ordered.

Ling allowed Edward to push him out of the cafeteria's front doors, but not without at least a fast glance in the direction to where he saw Envy retreating to. When the coast was clear, he grinned widely and slung an arm over the shorter teenager's shoulders and pulled Edward to his hip to give him a fast—and rough—hug.

"You're my hero Edward!" He wailed, pulling Edward up in his arms.

"Let go of me!"

* * *

_A bit of the conversation here was never seen before, I changed up quite a bit in this story...Actually no, not that much, but it is noticeable hah. Hope you enjoyed!~~_

_Tah!_


	4. Wild One

**Chapter 4: Wild One.**

Edward groans. And loudly at that.

Why was it always him that had the world's most terribilest luck?

_'If "terribilest" is even a word...It should be...For the sake of ME being in the dictionary.' _Edward thought with a brooding scowl on his face, he drudges sluggishly alongside the ever smiling Ling as they head to their fourth period class together, after they had dropped off Alphonse in his own classroom just minutes ago that is.

Edward could hardly get his thoughts straight, first day of school and already he's attracting a lot of weirdo's.

'_Why me...? Why me? Why is it ALWAYS ME that attracts the crazies? Sure, Ling is a lunatic in a certain way...Only because he's always smiling!' _Edward thought, shaking his head._ 'But then there's Greed…That guy is five types of crazy at first glance...And then there's that guy Envy. What's with their names anyways? What next? Gluttony? Pride?'_

"What are you thinking about so hard that you almost pass the classroom door for?" Ling asks, an amused smile lighting up across his face as he eyes the braided-haired teenager, who quickly turns around, replacing the shocked expression on his face with a brooding scowl.

"None of your business!" Ed snaps, stomping back towards the classroom door that he had just passed by, and walks swiftly in front of Ling, just so he can cut him off from the door with a hard shove—for the soul reason of him wanting to be the first one to enter the classroom.

Ling merely shakes his head at the childish behavior, small smirk on his face as he gives an inaudible chuckle.

When Edward opens the door with a haughty look and struts inside with an air of confidence surrounding his person, he stops right in front of the teacher who is currently sitting behind his desk.

Edward quickly holds out his classroom list and waves it in the bemused expression of the teacher, who—at that second—_just _realizes that a student had walked up to him.

"Edward Elric, new student. I need your signature in order for Principal Hughes to know that I made it to your class." Edward states determinedly, letting his hip fall to the side as he scratches his cheek meekly.

He was no longer feeling all that confident anymore, not when all eyes were suddenly on him.

_'Damn...I sound like a fucking tool.' _Ed states sourly inside his head.

"You sound like a tool...But I like your attitude." The teacher announces with a small—not to mention very creepy—smile on his face.

Seeming to have been reading Edward's exact thoughts at that moment. Well Edward thought that was creepy. Why do creeps always find him interesting?

_'Do the God's hate me...?' _Edward inwardly groans. Wait, he almost forgot he was an atheist.

Walking passed Edward was Ling, who chuckles at what the teacher had just stated to Edward unabashedly, Ling took his chance to quickly pat Edward on his head—to console him for sounding like a tool—and being completely sarcastic as he said.

"There, there Ed, you always sound like a tool to me." Ling states bluntly, nodding his head in affirmation.

Edward only smacks his hand away with a heated glare and a quick, "Fuck you." Before looking back to the long-black haired teacher.

Who's name apparently is Solf. J. Kimbley—as he read it on the silver plaque on top his desk—Kimbley was still smirking widely when he signed Edward's agenda sheet then handed it back to him.

"Take the seat in the back. Right beside the boy that just patted your head like a dog." Kimbley states, tilting his head to the side with a bright smile.

"My name is Ling for the hundredth time! And I was in your Chem class last year Kimbley!" Ling shouted from across the classroom.

Earning a lot of snickers from the already seated students, who were lined up nearly in all of the desks.

Kimbley rolls his eyes impassively as props his elbows up on his desk to lace his hands together to give Ling a sardonic and bored stare as he rests his chin between his bridged hands. "Yeah, yeah…I'll remember your name when you get a better one." Kimbley retorts back, looking away with a cruel grin on his face as he starts flipping through the book he has on top of his desk, the book that he was pretending to read prior to Ed and Ling's entering.

Kimbley was choosing to ignore the brat's heated glare that was getting shot at him from the kid whose name apparently was "Ling".

Edward wanted to groan in displeasure that he had to sit right beside the guy that got him kicked out of his first class, and who annoyed the hell out of him by simply smiling.

_'Honestly! What is with this piss fucking day?' _Edward roars loudly inside his head, clenching his jaw tightly as he practically _willed_ himself not to succumb to the over-whelming urge to shout to the high heavens and curse Ling's name up and down the walls and swear in the teacher's smugly smiling face that he had to pick the one person he oh so desperately wanted to be rid of.

So instead of submitting to those urges, he forces himself to not make a single noise of objection, despite the fact that he was pissed off royally, and pissed at the God's—who he still didn't believe in—that they decided to make his school life a living hell, he realizes that groaning, bitchin' and complaining won't get him anywhere in life, because usually, the way to handle these wild bouts of poor luck, and bad coincidences, was to ignore the fact that they were a pain in the ass and handle it with a calm and collective attitude.

So with a fast and sharp intake of frustrated air, Edward calms his facial expression and struts down the aisles of tables and chairs, filled to the very front of the classroom of curious looking students.

Edward stumbles right in the center of the large classroom though when he hears a very loud and obnoxious wolf whistle.

The kind of whistle he thought that only construction workers do when a hot girl passes by them while their working. As cheesy and as cliché that sounds. Besides, it just didn't happen often to him, he only saw it happen to women in movies.

Edward blushes considerably after being would whistled at—assuming that he was the victim of the wolf whistle because he _just_ finally notices that he had been strutting down the long line of desks for a while now—now an embarrassing shade of bright red, he looks around the entire classroom in search for the culprit. He soon finds the jack-ass, located at the very back of the classroom, and in a desk situated beside his and Ling's chemistry table.

Greed sat in his chair, smug smile, and leering eyes directed fully on Edward as he gives the blushing blonde beauty a fast wink and a smirk. Beside Greed sat another guy who was nameless, well, he did have a name, but Edward couldn't pronounce it and was thus, nameless. But Edward did recognize his face, and his hair. It was just a weird hair style; the guy ruined his hair with bleach and because of that, it was now a muddy forest green color mixed in with a tinge of blonde. Edward knew In other words; the-kind-of-whistle-men-don't-usually-DO-to-other-men, sort of whistle.

With Greed unabashedly ogling the shorter teenager up and down with a look of pure lust and hunger, he couldn't hold back the feral grin that stretched its way across his face. The kid may be a pip-squeak, but hey, with a pretty face like that, scowling or not, it was hot, and the way he's always so feisty, and the fact that he caught sight of that round ass during lunch break, yeah…He had to get a piece of that ass. They don't call him _'Greed' _for nothing.

Edward didn't strut confidently after that, he fumbled all the way to his desk with irky-jerky movements and practically sighed in relief when he plopped himself next to Ling. In other words; it-was-the-kind-of-whistle-men-don't-DO-to-other-men. With his face feeling as though it was on fire at that point, Edward hid his face behind a random book he found lying on top of the desk in front of him, and grumbled profanities at Greed under his breath all the while, in order to stop his heart from racing and hammering out of his chest.

"So I see you've met Greed." Ling whispered in an obvious manner, nodding his pony-tailed head at his statement.

Ed growls lowly inside his throat at that obviously put statement and shakes his head quickly, his blonde braid whipping Ling in the face at the close distance he has with him at their chemistry table.

"I don't know him!" Ed denied loudly.

Getting suspicious glances over the shoulders of the students surrounding them, many of them whispering in hushed tones to each other as they continued to stare curiously at Edward, who only wanted to belt his head against the table for being so Goddamn loud.

Wasn't his fault, he was pretty sure he got that obnoxious characteristic from his damn dad.

Edward soon shrugs his shoulders and sinks further into his chair, still holding the book to his nose as he buried his face into the pages. "He just creeps me out." he whispers—more quietly this time—as he played with the end of his braided hair, looking at anywhere but at the students with the suspicious and wary looks on their dumb faces.

Not too long after that hushed statement, Edward felt that leering gaze burning in the back of his skull, he already knew it was Greed, he didn't even need to look over his shoulder to see if he was right. He just _knew, _and he shivered slightly in disgust. Now he was thinking that it would be a good idea to hide his backside—his ass—with his back-pack, because he didn't want to feel eye's on him the entire time during Chemistry.

And he certainly didn't want his ass to be stared at like he had a target smacked right on his cheeks, or a sign that read, "Insert dick here." With an arrow pointing right at his—

He quickly squeezes his chair closer to Ling at that horrid gag worthy thought, and props his elbow on the table, blocking Greed's line of vision from his face with his hand as he drops the book he held securely to his face and turns his body towards Ling.

Then vaguely realizing he's making Ling look like he's his safe haven—either that, or making it look like he was interested in Ling by almost facing him all the way at their desk—so with a huff, he flings his back-pack right into the long-haired teenager's face.

"Ow! Fuh—! You little…" Ling trails off dangerously, rubbing his nose gingerly with a scowl directed to Edward's face.

"Put that beside you, would you?" Edward states sarcastically, edging away from Ling too keep a safe distance away from him, but making sure he was close enough to Ling so he wouldn't be anywhere _near_ Greed's table, and hugged himself against the table. Now he felt safe.

Ling gave him a sharp glare, but soon sighs and complies to the pissy order.

"Thanks." Ed half-heartedly thanks and looks back over to the front of the classroom, only to meet the sneering expression of Kimbley. And quickly, he averts his gaze, deciding to look around the classroom instead, and meet _anyone else's smile_ but that creepy fucker's glowing yellow colored eyes. They were either yellow, or hazel, but Edward didn't want to stare into them to find out. Maybe they were an odd gold color like his own. Either way, he still wasn't gonna stare at him.

Ignoring the teacher whole-heartedly, Edward blinks at all the familiar looking figures around the Chemistry class room, now that he finally had time to look around at the classrooms surroundings and the students stuffed in the tables.

_'I saw some of these students in Lit class earlier...'_ Edward thought as he continued to survey his surroundings, then a head of shining pure black hair caught his attention as the sun brightly lit up through the open windows of the classroom, the sun's rays bounced off the perfectly kept hair brilliantly.

Admiring it, and ignoring the slight pang of envy that crawled up his spine. And with a blink, he realizes something. _'Hey! That's the girl that Envy met up with after lunch! And the person sitting beside her is Env!—Oh—That's Envy...'_ Edward thought replacing his surprised expression with a scowl, wanting to slam his head on the chemistry table for being stuck inside a classroom with three—no—_four_ nut-cases for the whole entire school semester.

Four, because he included Kimbley being one of them as well.

Just as Edward was about to look away from the long green-haired teenager that was Envy, he noticed that the teenager was shivering in his seat. Edward couldn't help but keep staring curiously, wondering what the hell was wrong with him, either he was cold, or he's just really twitchy. Now that was creepy.

Envy suddenly turns around from his chair to stare directly into Edward's curiously lit eyes, then he grins widely at the fact that he caught Edward staring at him and twiddles his fingers in a wave of some kind.

Edward quickly shifts in his seat to look away from Envy and decides to look beside him.

But Envy happened to notice the shorter teen's lightly blushing face before he turned his head away and he couldn't help but smirk at the look and finally he looks away as well and props his elbow up on his and Lust's table to hold his chin in the center of his palm. _'Little Chibi likes to stare huh? Then I'll give him something to stare at…' _Envy notes inside his head with a small devious chuckle.

When Ed quickly averted his gaze, he didn't have much of a view beside him either, he only met the onyx colored eyes belonging to that of Ling.

Who only grinned widely and waved happily.

_'Ignorance is bliss they say...' _Edward rolls his eyes and looks away. Why was it that whenever he wanted to make friends, he only ends up quickly regretted ever coming up with that decision?

_'It's only because THESE GUYS are total weirdo's!' _Edward thought in irritation as he finally gave into the depressing urge, and slammed his head on the chemistry table in front of him, forehead first, with a long groan.

Worst. Luck. Ever.

Ling only laughed and patted Edward's back roughly, getting an annoyed growl from the shorter teenager as he did.

* * *

Edward thought of Kimbley as a creep, a weird creepy stalker kind of guy.

The kind of guy you would see lurking in the shadows, with a hood pulled over his head as he said in a lithe creepy whisper, "Hey guys…Wanna see a dead body?" Just to disguise the fact that hidden deep inside of said creep was actually a very intelligent and insightful man.

Kimbley knew what he was talking about, he knew what he was teaching, and certainly knew what he was doing, he knew how to keep his students in line, knew how to discipline them, and he definitely knew how to insight enough fear to keep the students attention on him.

Edward had to give Kimbley at least _those_ credits that he rightfully deserved, but for over-all charisma skills? Yeah, he lacked.

Greatly at that.

But Edward didn't think too much into it anymore, surprisingly, he's already getting used to Kimbley's creepy behavior and smiles. But soon, he stopped thinking about the weird teacher, mainly because he was now mixing chemicals into a beaker that sat on top of old news-papers in front of him, beside the beaker were other measuring cups of different heights and lengths as other odd chemistry tools laid out around them.

Stirring gently with a long thin steel rod, and making sure he did the math right inside his head in order for him not to explode inside the classroom, and combust into little Edward chunks, he purses his lips together in concentration, and lets a gentle sigh slip passed his lips.

"If I die...Don't come to my funeral." Edward deadpans, finally finishing dropping 5.0 millimeters of Acidic Cyanide into the tall chemistry beaker that sat directly in front of him on the table and quickly shot Ling a warning glare.

What he meant by that morbid statement was, _'don't you dare distract me, touch me, or even breathe my air, or I'll end up killing you myself.'_

Ling mimed a surrender with his hands and smiled happily. "Don't worry Ed, I don't think I'll make it if you manage to explode this thing right beside me." Ling replies as he hands Edward another vile. "Be careful...Whatever Kimbley is planning on making us do with this, it's most likely dangerous." Ling warned. Crouching and leaning onto the table beside Edward. "His motto is, 'Live on the dangerous side, and expect the outcome to be one hell of a trill.' If you asked me...That man lost his senses when he was born." Ling whispers beside Ed's ear as he continues to eye the dangerous contents Edward was now holding tightly in his hand.

Edward quickly shivered at having Ling that close by his ear and glances over to Ling with a scowl. "Back off! I'm trying to concentrate here...Without dying..." He quickly quips in, looking back to the beaker at hand.

Ling backs away with a smile on his face. "Relax...Don't want the walls being plastered with Edward jerky now."

As Edward was slowly making his way over to the beaker, and sticking his tongue out in concentration as he did, he focuses his entire attention to the shaking vile in his nervous hand. He could feel a bead of sweat licking the side of his face and rolling its way down the his cheek in a very slow and irritating process, itching and tickling the side of face down to his chin as it did. And oh, how he wanted to drop the beaker and scratch at his face.

"Here." Ling said as he began wiping Edward's nervously sweating forehead with a paper-towel that they kept close by at the tables at all times inside the classroom.

Edward flinches at the touch, but allows Ling to wipe his sweaty forehead either way. Then focuses on the beaker once again. "Thanks..." he mumbles. "But don't touch me again." He shot a glare, then began to concentrate again.

Ling salutes that request with a happy grin. "Glad to be of some assistance to you Ed."

Edward merely rolls his eyes and sticks his tongue out yet again.

"You actually look hot when you concentrate that hard."

"WHAT!?" Edward shouts in utter surprise, knocking the beaker he had held tightly in his hand, which then bangs into another beaker of liquid, and begins to panic when he notices that he had dropped the whole acidic vile onto the table, spilling some of the acidic contents all over the front of his shirt and watches as a large amount of the acidic liquid, spills inside the beaker they had on the table in front of him and Ling.

He was only supposed to put 2 drops into it. Not half of the entire damn thing!

"WAAAAH!" Edward yells out in pure horror, diving for Ling and tackling him to the floor.

Burying his face in the other's shirt, he threw his hands up to shield Ling's wide and shock filled eyes, and awaits for the beaker to explode, to send shards of glass flying every which way, and for the smoke detectors to go off indicating that some student fucked up in chemistry...

But he's only met with hushed bewildered silence as all of the students were simply looking at their table with very confused and incredulous expressions written on each of their faces.

Edward blinks numerous times and gives a puzzled look from within Ling's shirt, wasn't he supposed to be dead by now?

Edward lifts his face from within the safety of Ling's dark blue shirt and looks up at the table.

The beaker didn't explode. It didn't send shards of glass everywhere, and it _definitely_ didn't kill them either, it only bubbled, like pop.

"Why didn't I die?" Ed stated as he blinked at the fizzing beaker.

Ling sat up from the floor, to take the vile out from within Edward's hands with a large and very enthusiastic grin on his face. "I was writing over the previous words with a sharpie marker," Ling stated easily, pointing to the label on the beaker. "See? None of this was poisonous or acidic, it's only Polyether polyol, discocyanate, and water. When mixing those two, plus just a bit of water, it creates..." Ling reaches up over his head, grabs the yellow tube of water from the table, and drops just two drops inside the fizzing beaker with a small smile on his face as he gestures to the beaker he then placed back on the table. "Polyurethane foam." He states, smiling with glee when the beaker spills over with a yellow foamy substance that soon covered half of the table and the news-papers, some of the foam slips and falls to the floor, where it then disappears and evaporates.

Edward heard many of the student's, "ooh" and "Ahhh" at the sight as they watched in fascination at the little chemical game that's taking place at their table.

Edward snatches the vile from within Ling's hand and squints closely at the words, it was definitely Ling's writing, because underneath his writing, were the correct words of the chemicals.

The blonde-haired teen soon glares heatedly down at Ling, who only holds a black sharpie marker in his hands as he twirls the damned thing in the air in front of his face. As if saying "Seeee? It was meeeee…!"

"You made me be extra cautious for no reason! I would've been over and done with this whole stupid mixing process a long time ago you asshole!" Edward shouts, shoving the fake chemistry vile into Ling's smirking face as he did.

Ling weakly smacks away Edward's childish acts and then points a finger at Edward's shirt as his eyebrows go up in fake shock. "I don't want to be the bearer of bad news Ed but...If you don't take off your shirt right away, you're going to get a major allergic reaction and skin irritations..." Ling slowly explains pointing at Edward's soaked shirt with surprise.

"Aaagh!" Edward shouts in dismay, quickly grabbing the hem of his black long sleeved shirt, and pulls it up until it was over his head and off of his body as he tosses it behind his head in haste, then glares heatedly at the piece of damp clothing as he crossed his arms over his revealed chest, that was also slightly wet when the water happened to sprinkle down his shirt, creating a glistening sheen over his chest and flat stomach.

"What an idiot..." Edward heard a voice grumble a few desks beside them.

Looking over his shoulder to stare into un-amused dark auburn eyes, he got shot a look of pure boredom shot his way, belonging to Envy of course, and quirks an eyebrow up at him. "What?" Edward snaps, obviously pissed at Envy's tone of voice.

Envy only rolls his eyes and looks directly into Edward's gold eyes unemotionally "Your still sitting on top of him, he got you to take your shirt off, and now every ones looking at the both of you as if you're gonna go at it any minute now." He states unabashedly, an exasperated sigh slipping out past his lips as he looks away. "That's why you're an idiot pip-squeak."

Then the entire classroom then erupts into a fit of laughter after that bold statement was said and the accusation was uttered. Mocking fingers were pointed directly at Edward's mortified blank stare and even more wolf whistles and words of disgust were harshly spat and thrown at them.

"This is chem class, not a porn set." Edward managed to hear. "You're a bit of an idiot for not realizing he's only playing tricks on you little boy." Kimbley states, an amused smile lighting his face as Edward looks over to him with wide golden eyes.

"Hey shorty, you actually have a hot body."

Edward quickly looks over his naked shoulder to stare incredulously into Greed's leering and smirking face, his eyes weren't even meeting his, they were only staring at his bare torso and flat stomach, his eyes lapping up every inch and groove of his bare body.

Edward blushes darkly and jumps up from Ling's legs, grabbed his long sleeved shirt, and ran to the chemistry door where he then flings it open and runs out.

Blushing a furiously, an embarrassed deep scarlet lights his face as hurt and humiliation were easily readable on his expression as continued to run pass several classroom doors, wearing nothing but his black jeans and converse shoes. Edward's t-shirt was still soaked from what Edward thought was "Acidic Cyanide" when it was actually only water, and was crumpled and held tightly within his hand.

He had a lump in his throat, his eyes stung, his entire throat felt dry and on fire, like he just dry swallowed a giant horse pill, his heart was beating faster than he was running, and he wasn't even sure where he was going anymore, he just started sprinting blindly away from Kimbley's Chemistry class to get away from all the leering, all the teenager's hysterically laughter, and from all of the mocking and disgusted ridicule harshly spat his way.

His face felt hot, and his eyes stung with moister he couldn't understand.

_'I hate school! I hate it! I hate it!'_ He kept repeating those harsh three words inside his head as he sprinted all throughout the hallways, passing many classroom doors, rounding so much corners that it was a wonder he didn't hit and tackle anyone down to the tiled floor that dared got in his way, and finally...He was outside the school building.

His breathing ragged and forced, his face still felt like it was on fire, and his eyes still stung from whatever it was that managed to get in his eye from all the running he did around and inside the school. But now that he was outside, away from the people, completely alone, he clutches his knees for support and doubles over as he only continued to take in desperate gasps of air, trying hard to fill his lungs with the precious oxygen that his lungs so craved for. He stares down at the long sleeved damp shirt he grasped firmly in his left hand and glares spitefully down at his damp piece of clothing, but soon he shrugs it on, shivering lightly at the wetness of the shirt as it hugged his body in an uncomfortable damp embrace.

"I hate school..." He whispers to himself, sliding his back down on the outside of the school's rough brick wall, he fell to his ass on the concrete, just sitting beside the backdoors of the school, his back felt heated and he felt the need to turn around and hug the hot bricks of the schools wall.

He had no idea he was heading to the back doors of the school, until he actually ran outside and saw nothing but open fields of grass, planted trees and a whole football field, with dumpsters and garbage cans filled to the brim with trash as they sat not too far away from a steel chain linked fence, which was surrounding the outside perimeter of benches. A break in the fence only indicated that there were stairs which would then lead down to a second fence that blocked the outside of the football field.

Edward pulls his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms securely around them. Trying in vain to hide his embarrassment and shame from the world as he hung his head between his knees, and trying hard to become one with the wall and disappear from this entire, complicated day and hide away his existence from the world just for a little while.

_'It's only my first day of school...What about the other days? Will it always be this complicated and hard..? Not only that...But embarrassing and annoying? I hate school!'_ He roars inside his head as he bangs his forehead lightly against his knees over and over again.

"Stupid Ling..." He mutters under his breath. He pictures the entire classroom around him, laughing mockingly at him, Envy giving him this look, like he was the biggest idiot in the world, maybe his was, and pictures Greed's lustful eyes on him, practically licking his lips as he eyes his naked torso, and Kimbley cracking jokes at his expense when really all Edward really wanted, was just for someone, _anyone,_ to jump up and help him make a hasty retreat out of the classroom and defend his honor after he leaves.

But all he got, were crude jokes and idiotic laughter.

This entire world, this city, this school, has no safe haven that Edward could call his own, he was outside the protective bubble of Al and Winry. He was utterly alone to face humiliation and mockery.

With a deep and shaky sigh, he closes his eyes and pulls his head away from between his knees but kept his eye-lids tightly closed as he rests the back of his head against the hot brick wall behind him.

"Stupid Ling..." He repeats, this time his voice only a soft whisper, barely audible to his own ear. _'Some friend he is...He didn't even do anything...But make that stupid smile!'_ He roars as he fists his hands around his knees and held himself tighter to his chest.

"I'm sorry."

"Jesus Christ!" Edward shouts in shock and jumps back. Only to bang the back of his skull on the brick wall behind him, momentarily forgetting at that terrifying millisecond, that he had his back up against the wall.

He groans loudly and rubs the back of his head, muttering inaudible curses at Ling and swearing hoarsely under his breath for what he wanted the bastard to go and do.

Ling took a step forward to the crumpled up position, that was Edward Elric, and choosing to ignore that the little shrimp was _still_ grumbling curse words at him as he groans lightly in derision as he continued to rub the spot where he hit his head on the wall.

Ling gave an apologetic smile as he squats down close by Ed and rests both his elbows on either side of his knees and tilts his head down at the golden head. "I'm sorry if—"

Ling's words of apology were quickly cut off when Edward was—suddenly—no longer was in pain, as he swung his fist forward and lands a good sucker punch to his jaw, which sent his head rearing backwards and Edward watched with great satisfaction as Ling fell backwards and onto his ass in front of him, holding his jaw with a shocked expression and holding it in a shaking hand as he pointed at Edward's smug and satisfied looking, sneer.

"You just punched me!" Ling accused, shocked to say the least.

"You're damn right you Goddamn creep!" Edward roars. "You got some fuckin' nerve showing your stupid face around me after you pulled that fuckin' stunt in chem class!" Edward spat, shooting daggers at Ling who sat just across from him on the concrete, then huffs, crossing his arms and looked away. "Leave me alone." He says after a couple minutes of stunned silence. "You asshole." He quickly quips.

Ling continues to stare into the angry flaming eyes of Edward, who never looked his way but glared at the world around him, so with a sigh he rubs his jaw. "I never got punched like that in a long time..." He mumbles, mostly to himself. "I'm sorry." He apologizes again, hanging his head and looking away. "I deserved to get sucker punched by you when I did all that shit. But I just wanna let you know that I think you're a good friend."

Edward felt his eyes droop to an "are-you-fucking-serious" expression as he stares rather blandly at Ling's smiling face. "You're an idiot." He deadpans.

Getting a look of shock from Ling.

"What kind of a dumbass says that right after they get punched by the person that just wants them to leave em' the hell alone? 'I think you're a good friend?' You're not even my friend jack-ass! You're just a tag along that's probably bored outta his mind for following me around in the first Goddamn place!" Edward spat. "You don't only deserve a sucker punch, but a good Goddamn fucking beating!" He roars.

There, he said it.

Edward finally voiced his thoughts that have been nagging at him this entire time when he first got introduced to Ling, and finally he voiced what has been bugging him ever since then. If he sounded harsh, he didn't give a rats ass at this point, he only wanted Ling gone and to stop with all this bullshit talk about "friendship" so he can have a normal school life for once!

Ling's facial expressing never changes as he continues to get glared heatedly at, by the smaller teen. And he only continued to smile, looking as though Edward had never yelled at him—and punch him—yeah he deserved all that talk, he deserved those harsh words and curses, and he took it in, he digested his words thoroughly and Ling strongly believed that that's what you have to do in order for you to deduce whether or not someone was a true good friend, or just some stranger that has a mask covering over their truthful selves, with casual lies and fake facial expressions.

Edward, Edward Elric was different from the others he has met in his life time, those 'friends' were only two-faced people that didn't deserve the time of day or attention from him. This person that sat perfectly in front of him, with a look of pure malice and distrust, was a truthful being. Edward spoke—more like _yelled—_the truth, from the bottom of his mind and heart.

That was the kind of person you can't simply ignore or turn your back on.

"I think you're my friend...If I didn't consider you as my friend, I wouldn't have ran outta class to chase after you, and I wouldn't even give it a second thought. I would've just let you sulk here, in the dark, outside of school, while everyone else is inside, laughing their ass's off at you, and I would be inside joining in with them. But I'm not." Ling stated. His grin faltering to a genuine small smile. "I'm right here." He finishes his speech.

Edward sat there, completely frozen. His eyes felt a little wider than usual and he willed himself not to look into the dark eyes of Ling, he focused his attention over his shoulder and down to the concrete_. 'He purposely ditched class just to try and catch up with me? Why the hell didn't he just sit in class and share jokes about how I'm an idiot with the others?' _Edward thought, completely perplexed._ 'He's an idiot. That's for sure. But a complicated idiot unlike the rest.' _Edward dared to glance at Ling, who only smiled.

And soon he narrows his eyes when all Ling do was smile and close his eyes at him._ 'What's his reason? He's not only chasing after me, but trying to console me at the same time? What's his deal?'_ Edward thought furiously, piling questions on top of questions in his head, that were only getting him nowhere and leading him in one big fucked up mental circle.

"I also punched Greed for using that creepy pick-up line on you." Ling states nonchalantly, raising his purple bruised knuckle with a hurt smile on his face as he observed it, like it was a prize or a medal of manly-hood. "It kinda hurt though." He says with a smile.

Edward felt his eyes widen yet again at the unabashed statement. "You...Punched _Greed?_?" he bellows, eyeing the sore right hand of Ling with a shocked expression.

Ling smiles and nods his head happily. "Yep! You owe me one…Because I think I broke a knuckle." He whines as he holds his bruised hand in the other and faked sniffled.

Edward looks to his hand, then back to the squinty and shifty looking eyes that were peering curiously at him, then back down at Lings fucked up looking hand. _'Now he's hitting people? What the hell is wrong with this guy!? We just met this morning and already he's putting himself through shit in school! Either he's seriously insane or...He's actually a good guy...Or maybe he's only an...'_

"Idiot." Edward deadpans after a few minutes of silent deliberation.

Ling nods. Still smiling. "I know, you told me already." He replies while chuckling, still holding his sore hand as he experimentally moved his fingers about in his right hand, testing to see if one particular knuckle hurt more than the rest.

Edward shakes his head with a long sigh of exasperation. "You didn't have to punch him because of what he said, I was gonna do it anyways when I got back to class..." Then he realizes something. "And I wasn't sulking! I was..."

"Crying? Pouting? Moping?"

"Shut the hell up and let me look at your fucking hand!" Edward demands, swiftly getting up from the spot by the wall to kneel in front of Ling, not bother to wait for his reply, he roughly pulls Ling's arm up so he can examine his knuckles.

Edward felt that he needed to change the subject if nothing more.

Ed soon shakes his head after observing Ling's knuckles and lightly sighs in relief, they were bruised yeah, but nothing seemed misplaced or abnormally swelled, it was just badly bruised, maybe it didn't look that bad, but with how pale Ling's knuckles were, not to mention his entire complexion, it looked really bad. But he knew better that it wasn't even sprained or fractured.

Edward also noticed he was still holding Ling's slightly larger hand in his for a minute too long. "You didn't break anything. Just bruised it you wimp. If you broke it you would've been bawling your head off." He sneers, dropping Ling's hand harshly but still holding onto his wrist.

Ling's smiling face quickly turns sour as it fell to a scowl. "I don't cry! What kind of a man cries?" Ling argues, pulling his arm away from Edward's firm grasp in haste.

"The same kind of man that says he broke his knuckle when he only bruised it!" Edward retorts, once again glaring at Ling and waited for a come-back to be thrown at him.

Edward wasn't the type of guy to back down in an argument, if it was to prove his innocence or to just be a total dick, but he didn't back down. So he waited patiently for Ling's come-back as he crossed his arms over his chest. Daring him to say something.

Ling stares into the glaring eyes of Edward, noticing that he was pissed, and only smiled. "Am I your friend?" he asks happily.

Ling wanted to know, and what was on Ling's mind, has to be voiced, if it went un-voiced, it would only bite him in the ass later and probably drive him into insanity.

Besides...He just wanted to see the fast changes of Edward Elric's facial expressions, they were hilarious to witness.

Edward's face quickly fell from glaring, to astonishment as if he was taken aback by the sudden question, and to light shade of pink, then it pouted. And he stuck to that pouting expression.

And the whole time Edward's face contorted to all these different emotions, Ling sat there with an amused smile on his face.

"No." Edward deadpans.

Ling involuntarily flinches back at the harsh straight-forward answer.

"Now get up. We gotta go back to class and flip shit over." Edward announces, cracking his knuckles as he got up from the cement of the school and holds out a helping hand down to Ling.

Glaring while he did.

He'd rather not have helped the jack-ass up after what he just put him through in Chem class, and he'd wished Ling actually _did _break his knuckle because of that...But...At the same time, Ling was the only one that came to him when he was at a small low in his life, and Ling actually admitted that he was being a tricky prick and said that he was sorry, and maybe he held just a bit too much faith in Ling's reasoning.

But this was Edward's own way of saying 'thank you' without actually having to say it.

So watching Ling's bemused expression on his face was priceless for Edward to witness.

Apparently Ling has yet to learn and to be accustomed to his quick changes in attitude and behavior, if he ever wanted to continue to be a tag-along with him and Alphonse that is.

_'If you can't take the heat, then get the fuck out of the kitchen you shifty eyed son-of-a-bitch.' _Edward quotes inside his head, holding back his cruel and feral grin with a look of pure boredom.

The long-haired teenager shakes his head with a short snort—as if he wanted to laugh but not knowing whether or not to do so—he put his hand in Edward's slightly smaller hand, smirking as he let Edward help him off the ground and patted down his dark grey jeans with both his hands, wincing lightly when his bruised knuckle brushes up a little too roughly on his knee.

"I'm not doing that. But have fun though!"

* * *

_Sorry! I know this took forever! But I plomise you it won't happen again! I hope you guys still like this story...Continue to follow and stuff! Later_


	5. Equivalent Exchange

_Hope you guys enjoy! _

* * *

**Chapter 5: Equivalent Exchange.**

History wasn't so bad as Edward thought it was going to be, considering that he thought he was _still_ going to be ridiculed right after the whole incident in Chemistry class, but surprisingly enough, only the Chemistry students have been mocking him whenever Edward was seen by them, and the rest of the students didn't even look at him a second time, as though they haven't heard word about the whole thing that happened in that class.

Edward was grateful for that.

But he knew it was going to bite him in the ass later on when word finally got around.

History to Ed, could've been better, it was taught rather sluggishly and blandly as if the teacher didn't actually want to be there teaching them at all. The teacher for that boring class was Jean Havoc. A spikey blonde haired man with a constant droll in his tone as he held a blue pen in-between his teeth, as if he was craving for a cigarette.

Edward gave him at least a little credit for being able to know what happened in the civil war.

But as for Physical Education. Edward wasn't at all a fan.

The teacher was Alexis Louis Armstrong, a rather tall big and bulky gym teacher with a shining bald head—except for the little strand of blonde hair that stuck out in the center of his forehead and hung down low in a small loop—to Edward, Armstrong was too emotional, and a big cry baby for a man his age and that size.

He even had the balls to give Ed the most biggest and bone crushing hug he has ever gotten in his life when he first made an appearance in class, he simply waved to the huge man, and he was later being embraced by him.

Edward was later told by said huge man that that was HIS way of welcoming a new student in L.A Central High.

Which Edward thought was a big fat and phony lie, assuming it was only for the fact that he was the shortest one of the entire class.

Unfortunately, Edward actually WAS the shortest in that class.

Physical Education wasn't at all hard as he thought it was going to be. It was a huge waste of time considering that Edward was the only one able to keep up with the whole 'work out' process that Armstrong persisted them to do, just so they can get a feel of what this semester has in store for them, as though they were being analyzed. Which technically, that was what Phys. Ed Was all about.

Wasn't much, at least according to Edward, there was no student who gave him any sort of challenge, or knew _how to _keep up in that class.

Scratch that last part, Edward was thoroughly surprised—and a bit impressed—that out of everyone inside the entire class,_ Ling_ was the only one who actually managed to keep up with Armstrong's teachings and kept up alongside him as they both blazed across the 'battle field' of the entire gymnasium, doing various track and field sports, to doing many work out positions.

That was the only thing fun out of that entire shit eating day for Edward.

Fun, because he got to blow off some steam, and scream his lungs out while doing so, just because it was Phys. Ed and he could get away with it.

But now that it was after school, with the bell ringing all around the school, signalling students that they had to get the hell home before the buses left them.

And Edward couldn't have been happier.

He was practically _glowing_ as he quickly jogs down the halls, zigzagging his way around the student bodies, and eagerly zooming through the hall to get to the doors of the school.

_'So far, the first day of school was EXACTLY as I imagined it to be...One hell of an annoying and embarrassing waste of time.'_ Edward thought with a dark brooding scowl as he slung his red and black back-pack over his shoulder as he walks rather sluggishly down the hallways in search for his younger brother.

And of course, Ling was not far from his side, with his pony-tailed head held high in confidence as he struts down along the hallways with a chipper hop in his step, his spiked long black-hair bounced lightly inside its usual pony-tail with each jovial step he took.

Edward grumbles curses at him yet again, under his breath of course. _'Fucking strutting around like he owns the damn place.' _He growls spitefully in his head.

Ling felt proud before, but not the same kind of pride that he's currently feeling at the moment. THIS kind of pride was that of accomplishing something you have always wanted to do and in just ONE DAY. Sure Ling has met many interesting people in the past, has made many friends because of it, but Edward to him was someone completely different from any of the others he has met. And he was sure, that in due time, he can actually learn to trust Edward...Even though Ling can easily admit that he doesn't know a single damn THING about the short blondie beside him, or where in the hell he came from, why he moved from said place, or what his favorite color was, just simple little things like that is what's bugging Ling, but he sure felt proud that he managed to bag a blonde like Edward. He was beyond curious about the shorty, but it's nothing that a little get-together or hanging out after school can't solve.

Also, he was feeling pretty damn proud of himself because he had a new _toy_ to play with, who knew what this toy was capable of doing for him once they were close enough?

"I have a feelin' you're talking shit about me inside your head, shifty eyes." Edward snaps, catching the serious expression of Ling from the corner of his eye.

Blinking out of his thoughts, Ling smiles dumbly. "Why would I bad mouth a good friend?"

"I'm not your friend. When people call each other 'friends' it only means that they either want something from them, or they just want to know their darkest secrets and exploit them in school as stupid petty gossip." Edward states.

Surprising Ling at that brazen statement. Almost as if...He's speaking from experience...

Edward grumbles something inaudible for Ling to catch, as he swiftly waves his hand away at his last remark. "Never mind. Forget I said that. But wanna know what's on my mind?" Edward asks, ignoring Ling as he was about to reply and quickly states his question anyway. "Why you say were 'friends' when we don't know anything about each other." Edward states truthfully as he shifted his back-pack on his shoulder more comfortably as he eyed Ling suspiciously from his peripheral vision.

Ling smirks and puts up a finger in the air emphasis. "I was just thinking the same thing, not about WHY I call you my friend, because I think you are one, but because it's simple, I think that a veteran like me who's been in L.A Central High for a third year, _has to_ get to know the underlings—That's you by the way—and teach them the ways about high school. I mean, its simple give or take. And simply because you're really hilarious and entertaining." Ling states truthfully as he punches Ed in the arm lightly. Earning a harder, more swifter, punch to the arm by the shorter teenager.

As Edward gave thought to what Ling had just said, he puts a hand to his chin in thought. "You mean like...Equivalent exchange?" Edward speaks up, now interested in what Ling is babbling-on about, truthfully though, he only caught half of that speech.

Ling nods his head anyways, unbeknownst to him that Edward had only caught half of his speech. "Exactly! Like equivalent exchange! I teach you and your brother what's what in L.A, what's cool, what's not, all that nonsensical crap and show you all kinds of cool things inside the school, and YOU become my friend in the end." Ling smirks.

Edward thinks about it...But then scowls. "But you said Equivalent exchange! What's in it for me?" He replies.

"The knowledge of the people in school, the city, and about the most important thing! FRIENDSHIP. Now you get me?" Ling states slyly as he waggles his eyebrows suggestively.

Ling knew he can be a tad bit of a manipulator, but he only shows this side of him on rare occasions, like when he really wants something, or when he wants something from someone else. Or when he just wants someone to do something for him. Like he just stated. On RARE occasions. And this one, hell, it was completely rare; he won't get another chance like this.

Edward frowns at that oh-so-perfectly-put-statement, and was a bit wary of Ling now because of it…Like Ling was talking as though he was a con artist. Either Ling actually WAS a really nice guy...Or he's just a big fake who puts on a mask of intelligence and smiles.

To Edward, Ling sounded almost like the devil, whispering idle little lies, telling him things that he really wanted to hear and know, until finally they seal the deal. Like he was selling his soul.

As Edward weighed out the pros and cons, the many out-comes, and after a silent deliberation going on inside his head and mulled it over thoroughly, he gave a long and defeated sounding sigh.

"Fine. We're FRIENDS...But whenever you ask something about me, like what I do for fun or something, just dumb shit, then I get to ask a question in return. And you have to answer no matter what I ask." Edward states, pointing a suspicious finger directly at Ling's smiling face.

"Done." Ling swiftly agrees as he holds out his hand with a larger-than-normal smile on his face. "Don't leave me hangin' Ed." He says coyly, a smirk spreading across his face as he tantalizingly bats his dark lashes and wiggles his hips.

Edward just sold his soul to the devil. A tricky, crafty, smiling, shifty eyed devil. That knew how to move his hips.

At that last—completely UNNECCESSARY statement—he groans and quickly shakes Ling's hand with enough force to snap his already bruised knuckle. Then smirks in satisfaction when he sees Ling wince at the strong hand shake and hiss painfully through his clenched teeth.

_'__Hah! Take that you bastard.' _Edward thought spitefully. Letting go of Ling's hand, and wiped it on his pants, as if he might contract a rare disease by him, or if he was simply dirty.

Ling pouts and rubs his hand gingerly. "You little jerk." He grumbles.

Edward felt his vein throb irritatingly on his head. "I AM NOT SHOR—"

"—Ed! Over here!" Alphonse shouts from down the hall—unknowingly cutting Edward's rant off—with a pile of books in his arms and a happy smile etched on his face as he finally manages to catch sight of his older brother and stood and waited for him at the front of the doors.

Edward quickly struts away from Ling to catch up with his waiting brother, with an evident scowl on his face. He just sold his soul to the devil, then got called short.

Who _wouldn't_ feel shitty and be mentally scolding themselves for selling their souls?

Alphonse take on look into Edward's rather displeased looking eyes, observed the sour expression on his face and knew right away that something was obviously troubling his brother, and when Alphonse looks back up and into the hallways, he saw Ling walking further behind the downcast and slumped shoulders of Edward, and instantly a knowing expression flickers in his hazel eyes as he gives Edward an apologetic smile.

"So…How was your afternoon classes? I hope you didn't start any fights..." Alphonse says in a wary tone as he eyes his unhappy looking brother.

Edward only shrugs and scratches behind his head. "I didn't start any fights..."

"?" Alphonse tilts his head, either Ling is really bugging him...Or someone else is... "Are you okay Ed?" He asks, instantly concerned.

Edward winces involuntarily at the sympathetic tone of voice from Alphonse and quickly nods his head a little too hastily. "Fine Al. Let's just go home so we can drop off our books and go sight-seeing." Edward replies, a forced smile on his face as he holds his back-pack out for Alphonse to stuff his books into.

"..." Alphonse still shoots Edward a nervous glance, but either way, he didn't argue or push Edward for an answer, and decided that maybe it was better not knowing, his brother will tell him eventually anyways when he felt like it. As Al pushed his books inside Edward's red and black checkered back-pack, he kept casting skeptical glances at Ling and Edward who shot each other odd looks inside the hallway once Ling passed them by with a knowing smirk.

Yeah, Alphonse would be a fool if he hadn't noticed something was wrong—or maybe it was right…?—with his older brother. Something was up, what it was, he would eventually get to the bottom of it, but for now, he would merely be on the sidelines, watching over his older brother without him realizing it. Like always. He always did, he would put up with everything Edward came across, and he would do anything to say the least, to make sure Edward was happy.

When Edward shot Ling a heated glare when he passed them by, Ling looks over his shoulder one last time with a smile. "Later you guys! See you tomorrow!" Ling shouts with a gleeful smile stretched across his face as he waves vigorously, until he was out the double doors of the school and skipping down the steps with a delightfully happy whistle.

Both Alphonse and Edward look to each other from out the corner of their eyes. Both of them shooting questionable glances to one another. And hanging in the air was a silent look that said. "We'll-talk-about-this-later."

* * *

_'Back to the bleak and boring apartment.'_ Edward thought with a long and very exhausted sigh as he searched for the spare apartment keys inside his pants pocket, he got them from his father Hohenhiem before they left for school that very same morning, but his father seemed very reluctant to hand them over to him earlier.

Which made Edward question if his dad even wanted them here inside the apartment in the first place, then he shakes his head with a hard scowl, his dad wanted him here as much as he wanted to _be _here.

Just as he manages to un-lock the door and push it open, he's met with a looming pair of shining glasses standing on the other side of the doorway.

"Waah!" Ed hollers, instinctively racing backwards, but stumbles on his own two feet and falls onto the carpeted floor outside the door with a loud thud and onto an already sore ass, Alphonse instantly going to his brother's aid with his hands out-stretched.

"Brother! Are you okay?" Alphonse asks in complete mother-hen-mode.

Edward glares fiercely at the door and whips out of Alphonse reach. "—Don't just stand there in front of the damn door, old man! People live here too yenno!" Edward shouts at his father, who steps out from behind the door to scratch behind his head with a small smile on his middle-aged face.

"I'm sorry Edward...Here let me help—" His father started to say, holding out his hand, only to have Edward quickly scramble up and walk swiftly passed him with a loud "Tch!" thrown at him over his shoulder and completely ignoring his father's out stretched hand as he waltzes into the apartment, stomping all the way to his bedroom as he did.

His father continues to stand there with his hand out stretched in offering of help, with a slightly bemused expression on his face, and soon he sighs and scratches his beard uncomfortably with his other hand.

Alphonse looks up to his disheartened dad with an apologetic smile and puts his own hand into his fathers as he was still kneeling on the floor where Edward once sat. "You'll get used to his...Brash behavior." Alphonse slowly explains with a small smile.

Hohenhiem blinks at the small hand in his own burly mitt, then pulls his younger son off the floor with ease. "I hope so...I hate seeing him look at me with such...Resentment." He says lowly and in such a small voice, that it pulls at Alphonse's already weak heartstrings.

Alphonse shakes his head as they both walk into the large apartment, hands no longer connected. "He'll soon learn that how he's treating you isn't how sons should treat their fathers, and he'll stop acting how he's acting now...He just needs a little inspiration and a little push in the right direction. Believe me dad, I've been with him my whole life." Alphonse explains in light air of confidence as he pats his father on his shoulder, having to tippy-toe in order to do it, but smiles gleefully when his father shoots him an incredulous look. And with a short chuckle, Alphonse then walks his way to where he knew Edward is currently sulking in, which is in their new room.

Hohenhiem gives thought to his son's brilliant notion and with a firm nod of his head and a smack of his fist in the center of his empty palm, he decides that they will all go out for dinner that night.

After his sons come back from their own personal fun by themselves that is.

He soon blinks in realization. "I should give the boys my map." He decides as he swiftly walks his way to his own room, a light, small and very happy smile on his face.

Meanwhile, in Edward and Al's room.

"But brother! You should at least TRY to get to know dad...! He seems…Really down…That you treat him poorly." Alphonse pipes in what was on his mind the minute he walked into the room. He was determined to give his brother crap for treating his dad poorly, but when it came down to Edward, he had a better chance at convincing Winry that Edward wasn't short, which was laughable to say the least.

His older brother was at the balcony, looking down at the town's lights with a somber expression as he watches the people pass by below them from several stories up.

Edward scowls darkly and whips his head back towards Al, who now stood beside him at the balcony. "No Al! Don't you get it? He abandoned us! Left us with mom who became ill because of the stress and heart ache he gave her! He didn't even marry her, only got her pregnant then left! I want nothing more to do with him! For all WE know, he might've been the reason that she's!—" He shouts into his brother's hurt and shocked looking expression, his heart throbbing painfully against his chest, he slowly watches his brother's expression turn to a sad frown before he swiftly whips his head away to stalk back into the room, leaving him outside on the balcony alone.

_'__Damn it…I shouldn't have said…' _"Al…" Edward whispers behind him, already feeling bad for shouting at him, it wasn't Al's fault, he wanted to say it was their so called _'Father's' _fault…But he definitely didn't mean to mention their mother's…Passing…And in an argument no less.

With hands clenched to his sides Alphonse stops and turns to glare at his brother over his shoulder. "Fine, do whatever you want. Be stubborn brother. But dad isn't going to be around forever and the same might happen to him like it did to mom. I just hope you forgive dad before then." Alphonse says as he quickly glares at Edward but then sighs and shakes his head.

He didn't really want to be arguing with his brother right now, and he was hoping that his father haven't over-heard their little argument either, that would only be like pouring salt on fresh wounds, their father probably won't be able to take the harsh words that Edward shouted at him. Why couldn't Edward just forget about the past? Why can't he be willing to at least give their father at least a bit of acknowledgement instead of hatred and resentment?

_'__You're always so stubborn Edward…'_ Alphonse states exasperatedly as he sighed for the second time and walked to his bed. "I don't want to argue anymore. Let's just go and get this thing over-with." He grumbles, pulling out money from his secret stash from under his mattress.

Outside the doorway, stands Hohenhiem, the map he sought out for was now crunched and crumpled inside his hand as he rests the other hand on the doorknob. He was about to walk in, until he heard Edward's harshly spat words of protest that held such anger and bitterness towards him that...He couldn't summon enough strength nor confidence to walk into the room anymore. He sighs and clutches the map tighter in his hands with a crestfallen smile pulling on his lips.

"I deserve it...I deserve his words..." He whispers merely to himself as he slowly lets the doorknob go and walks back to his room, leaving the map in front of the door, just in case Edward still wanted to go.

The idea of them going out for supper later on that evening, as a family, completely disappeared from his mind as he hid himself inside his bedroom.

"You're still coming right Al?" Edward shouts over his shoulder as he walks out his and his brother's room, only to step on a piece of crumpled up piece of paper on the floor with a loud crunching noise.

"?" He tilts his golden head down, and picks it up curiously between two fingers.

A smile soon lights his face as he un-folds the paper. "We got a map Al! We won't get lost anymore! Let's go!" Edward shouts excitedly over his shoulder as he notices his brother giving him a happy grin and scrambling to get to his side eagerly.

Both of them forgetting about their little brother's quarrel, deciding that its best not to talk about such touchy subject any longer, and especially talk about their mother's death.

Both of them didn't need to be reminded of that tragic day. It was hard enough not to forget it. And to argue about it…Well, it's best not to remember or bring up their mother that way, they always reminded themselves to hold the most happiest memory about their mother and cherish it.

* * *

The brothers felt as though they were on an adventure, they've seen every part of L.A's libraries, history museums, coffee shops and of course every tall building that they laid their eyes on, and they were both excited to be able to sight see around the little China Town located further down town of Los Angeles, but after so many hours of walking, sitting, and running to catch various cabs all around town, they were exhausted, broke, and the sun was slowly starting to descend behind the buildings, indication that they better get their ass's home if they want to be able to sight see around town again.

"Come on Al! Hurry! The only bus that's heading close to our place is leaving less than five minutes!" Edward shouts as he keeps running down the street, filled with walking and talking people, he keeps shouting "Sorry!" to every passer-by that he would bump into, and cursed so many times at almost knocking over children that got in his way that he kind of felt bad for them later on after feeling pissed that kids nowadays didn't understand the meaning of "get the hell out of my way!"

Further behind him, carrying a box full of Chinese dumplings and other assorted treats was Alphonse, "I can't run when I have dad's cookies in my arms!" Al shouts his retort to Edward who kept running up ahead without him. That little jerk.

"Well then you should've just threw those damn things in the first place and forget about our so called dad!"

"I can't! I want to share with him!" Alphonse snaps, still trying to catch his breath and hold onto the box full of treats in his hands. "And he IS our dad brother!"

Edward whips his head over his shoulder to glare at Alphonse heatedly. "I can't believe your already getting attached to the man who abandoned us Al!" Edward scolds his younger brother who hung his head down sadly as he bit his bottom lip.

Not really looking where he was going, and not even paying attention to where his own feet were carrying him, Edward crashes into something hard, and felt his nose take most of the beating in the process.

"OOW!" Edward bemoans, clutching his already bloody nose in his hand as he sits in the middle of the sidewalk, shouting swears to the entire world and getting many wary and cautious glances thrown at him from the pedestrians in the street.

"Watch where you're going you fuckin!—"

Both of them shoot confused and shocked expressions to one another.

Then Edward groans in disdain. Of course, his day just can't get any better, not with his damned luck.

"Enby..." Edward grumbles under his breath, looking away whilst holding his sore nose with a scowl.

Said teenager smirks in triumph and squats down on the sidewalk in front of the glaring blonde boy. "Hey little guy...Lost your momma?" Envy cooed in mock sympathy, his shit eating grin never dying from his face even when Edward tries to punch him, missing of course because of the hand he still held in front of his bloody face.

"Buck you Enby...Buck! Thist hurps!" Edward growls, holding his bleeding nose in his hand. It wasn't broken thank God—Who he still didn't believe in—but it _did_ hurt like a bitch.

Tears stung the corners of his eyes as he tried blinking them away, he let go of his nose to look down at his hand, which wasn't a smart move, his vision already began to blur as he stares down incredulously at his hand already soaked in blood, the thick red liquid seeped through his fingers and trailed down his knuckles, slowly sliding down his wrist.

And he started hyperventilating after that.

"Ed! Don't look at the blood!" He heard Alphonse shout from somewhere further behind him, Edward couldn't even peel his eyes away from the blood in his hands, his shock numbing his senses and preventing him from even removing his blank stare from the blood in his own hand.

"Hey...What's the matter with you?" Envy growls in displeasure as the kid kept looking stupidly down at his hand, as if the blood would grow fucking wings and fly away in front of his blank stare.

Getting annoyed at the odd expression on Edward's face and slightly pissed at being ignored, Envy rips Edward's hand away from his wide shocked golden eyes and forces the teenager to look up at him by holding his chin strongly in his other hand. "Look at me when I'm sitting in front of you pipsqueak!" He orders, staring deep into the emotionless golden eyes with his own deep purple.

Edward's mind slowly starts to comprehend his surroundings yet again, and at his current position, his eyes start to focus on whoever the person was sitting in front of him. At first he thought it was Alphonse trying to get his attention, until he saw dark purple eyes and the crazy head of stringy long green hair.

When the pip-squeaks eyes started losing that dumb lost look inside them, Envy felt a relieved, yet a devious smirk lit his pale features.

"Wah! Envy!" Edward yells in sudden realization that his face was just inches away from Envy's, and that his chin was being held in the long-haired teenager's other free hand.

Ed tries pulling away from the firm grasp, but was held into place, his cheeks started burning bright red despite his constant pleading to NOT show his embarrassment to the green haired menace that still held tightly onto his wrist, which was now hanging up above and over Envy's shoulder.

Envy howls in laughter after he saw the blush spreading quickly from Edward's cheeks to his ears. "Your too predictable pipsqueak!" He laughs darkly.

Edward growls and tries to pull his arm away for the second time. "Let me go! I'm fine! And don't call me pipsqueak you ham fisted palm tree!" Edward yells as he struggles against the strong grasp. "If you don't let go I really am gonna start getting mad Envy." Edward warns, which only earns him a smug smirk and a head tilt.

Alphonse was now at his brother's side, he drops the cookies he was holding in his arms down to the sidewalk as he held his brother at bay and put his other free arm against Envy's chest and pushes him roughly back, glaring heatedly at the deep set of purple glowing eyes as they glared right back at him. "Leave my brother alone and walk away..." Alphonse warns, his glare unwavering and menacing as he gave another hard push, almost knocking Envy over as he only continued to squat down in front of them. "Move it." He growls.

"Alphonse..." Edward whispers, his eyes going wide at how his brother's eyes held such animosity and hatred, and how Al's voice no longer held that innocent happy tone but resentment and anger.

_'He shouldn't look that way...'_ Edward thought, he gulps down a ball of spit mixed with the rust and tangy taste of blood and opens his mouth. "Don't Al." Edward warns. His eyes still big with worry as he lightly pulls Al's hand away from Envy's chest.

Edward was actually relieved that Envy still hadn't let go of his arm, that way when he pulls Al's hand away from Envy's chest, he crawls towards Envy to push Alphonse back and away from the green haired teenager. He didn't want his brother to fight, especially his own battle, and he doesn't even know what Envy was capable of doing in hand-to-hand combat, if anything Edward suspected Envy to be a weapon user and had his own assumption that Envy has to have a knife hidden somewhere under all his tight clothing. As impossible as it sounded, you just couldn't trust anyone anymore.

"Edward I'm shocked, you would fight your own brother to keep lil ol' me safe? I'm touched shorty." Envy gushes from behind Edward, snuggling closer inside the crook of Edward's neck and wrapping his free arm around Edward's stomach, and the teen's reaction to that was a very refreshing—and dare he admit it?—sexy shiver, that is until the brat had to open his mouth and ruin the whole sexy shiver thing with a loud and startled ear splitting yelp.

"Get away from me you freak! I don't want Alphonse to fight my OWN fights!" Edward argues as he yanks his arm free and swiftly gets up from the sidewalk to briskly take hold of Al's sweater and heave him up from the cement, he glares heatedly over his shoulder at Envy who shrugs with an un-caring and lazy smirk, obviously not giving a damn about Edward's accusation.

"We're leaving now. Let's go Al." Edward states, swiftly bending down to pick up the fallen box of cookies and then looks back to a smugly smiling Envy.

"How're you guys getting home? The bus left if you hadn't noticed." Envy informs, chuckling darkly as he thumbs behind himself. Sure enough, he could hear the bus's engine start with a loud whip lashing crack of a sound as exhaust pooled forth from the back of the bus's muffler in a dark grey cloud.

Edward and Alphonse both stare at the disappearing bus with slack jaws, they just missed it by a couple seconds, if they hadn't bumped into Envy they would've been on the bus by now.

Edward's whole body shook with rage as he saw the bus puttering away, "AAAARGH! Stupid fuckin' bus and that Goddamn bus driver! I oughta kick the guys ass!" Edward roars at the bus that soon got away; he kicks over a trash can and roars at any pedestrian that dared stop to give him suspicious looking glances over their shoulders, until hurriedly shuffling away from the yelling red cloaked little nuisance.

"Fuck you!" Edward roars again as he sticks up both his middle fingers into the direction of the retreating bus.

"Edward...You still have blood on your nose..." Alphonse states nervously as he gestures to his own nose and pointed. "Right under your nose to your chin..." His brother informed him sheepishly.

From beside Alphonse, Envy snorts and put both hands on his hips as he finally gets up from the sidewalk. "Teaches you for bumping into me short stuff." he teases, dusting himself off boredly. "Thank Jesus you didn't get your disgusting blood on me, I would've broke what's left of your nose if you did pip-squeak." Envy shoots a glare towards Edward.

Who whips a hand to his nose and began furiously wiping it with the back of his long red sleeved sweater, shooting Envy a dirty look.

But just as he finishes wiping his nose, he looks down to his hand and sleeve to inspect the damage on his sweater, and again he hyperventilated...Then—

Wham!

"Edward!" Alphonse shouts clear in shock as he watches his brother sway sideways until his eyelids flutter close as he falls to the sidewalk.

Envy rolls his eyes. "Hmph...Does he ever learn from his first mistakes?" Envy snorts, looking down at the out-cold pip-squeak with amusement.

Alphonse heard the little remark and shakes his head. "Sadly…He never does." Al states with a sad sigh.

Envy sighs as well and scratches the back of his head. "Can't leave him here…" He states, mostly to himself as he walks his way to the fallen Chibi, then squats down beside him. "I'll carry him, where do you two live?" Envy states, in the most sardonic and annoyed sounding voice.

Alphonse gives Envy an incredulous look as he shakes his head, wanting to argue for its worth…Until looking back down to his brother, than to his arms, his arms _were_ full…He probably wasn't as strong as Envy was as well. The guy looked…Well, Al didn't want to be rude but, Envy looked incredibly gay, but he _did_ have some evident muscles on him, toned ones, not to mention Alphonse was still battling with asthma for years now and carrying Ed all the way back to their father's apartment, would put a great amount of strain on his lungs and by the time they make it to their apartment, it would be late, and he would get both his brother and himself sick. He had to trust Envy, at least just this once.

"So? Don't just blank out on me brat." Envy spat, glaring over his shoulder at the runts younger brother. Well, he was merely guessing if he was younger, his voice was a little lighter in tone than the blonde Chibi's.

Alphonse sighs and nods his head. "I'll show you the way." He states in a tone full of regret.

* * *

Envy carried much heavier things, hell, he carried a half-dead drunk guy before, but he was surprised that when he decided to carry the little Chibi-chump all the way back to his apartment, including his brother, who tagged further up ahead the both of them acting as his guide, he was slightly astonished that the little blonde was not at all heavy as he thought he was going to be, in fact, he probably could throw him over his shoulder and run. Not like he was going to pull that fucking stunt though, he would look like some kind of pervy pedophile who just kidnapped a brat.

He smirked humorlessly at that thought and bounced in his step in order to hoist the small blonde on his back a little higher, his legs dangling uselessly in the air as Envy carried him piggy-back style on his back.

He puffed a dark green strand of hair away from his nose and hummed lightly under his breath, he would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying this little walk through the 'Normal' Side of the neighborhood they were currently walking through. This was where the averagely paid people went, not the big rich city like types. If he wasn't mistaken, the Chibi's little brother, who was _not_ little at all, but three inches taller than him, including the short stack himself, they both were living the easy life.

As though the both of them weren't suffering from any loss, any heart break, but were living their lives carelessly and easily. That it made him feel a little prickly inside, but as his hackles started to rise in anger, it quickly deflated, his life wasn't easy, but like hell would he give up. That shit just didn't sit right with him. Besides, he still had hope. Hope was for idiots, but fuck it, call him an idiot, he still held onto hope tightly.

Just as that thought was fresh in his mind, little pipsqueak stirred lightly with a soft mumble, causing him to clutch tighter in fear that he might fall.

"You alright Envy? I could carry him now," He heard the brat's brother call from up ahead of him. "The apartment is just this one up ahead. I could manage." He suggests.

Envy stubbornly shakes his long green hair about. "I got it. It's only that one anyways, I'm close." He argues. Holding onto Edward with both arms, which earns him a sad shake of a head from Alphonse and a sigh as he gestures towards him to follow.

Envy managed to catch his name when the kid started talking non-stop about how they recently moved from somewhere called Phoenix in Arizona, and how his older brother was a few inches shorter, about how many people mistake him being the older brother considering Ed was smaller in height, and many other useless and stupid shit.

But damn, was it funny to hear the many stories about how Ed kept shouting and arguing at the people who mistook him for being the younger brother and how he just _hated_ it when people called him short, and many other different names that had to do with his height. He couldn't help but laugh mockingly at the brat who spilled the beans on his brother with the temper.

He was going to enjoy spending his days teasing the little Chibi through hell and back for his own entertainment after this, that was for true.

After walking to the apartment building, catching the elevator, to walking to the very front door of their apartment number, Envy was then welcomed inside. And holy hell did their apartment look good, a little empty, no photo's or nothin', but houses like that felt corny and not to mention stupid. It's like hanging up trophies all over the wall, as if people are saying, "Look what I'm capable of!" Or "Look! I'm better than you!" Peh, cocky showy bastards.

As Envy was still being led through the apartment, they both came to a halt when a man stepped out from what seemed to be the bathroom as he turns on the light.

"Alphonse…? Is that you? And where's Edward? Who is this girl?" The scruffy looking man asks as he pulls off his glasses and began wiping them clean on his sleepwear T-shirt as he continued to squint his hazel eyes at the girl with long dark hair.

Envy bristles and growls lowly in his throat. "Who're you calling a girl you old man!? I'm as much as a girl as your son is tall! Call me Envy instead you old bastard!"

"Envy!" Alphonse hisses in defense, glaring over his shoulder as Envy who unabashedly just called his and _Edward's_ father a bastard.

Like hell was Envy going to apologize for that though, the bastard deserved to be called one after mistaking him as being a fucking girl.

On his back, Envy heard the pipsqueak chuckle under his breath, thinking that the Chibi was going to wake up any minute, he decided to blow this one over, just the one time though.

"'Cuse us." Envy slurs as he pushes Alphonse away from their bedroom door and waltzes inside. "Where's the Chibi's bed?" he calls over his shoulder.

Alphonse quickly walks into their room, with his father not too far behind him, as he points to the bed further to the corner on the right side of the room. "That one there." He informs Envy, who only nods his head as he walks and gently places Edward onto his bed.

Which his brother moved just minutes after moving in, wanting to be closer to the balcony more than anything else.

When Envy places Edward on his bed, he gives a satisfied smirk and ruffles the messy blonde hair. "Nice carrying ya without any arguments pipsqueak!"

"Who're you calling a tiny half-pint flee who you could barely recognize among all the grains of sand you psychotic girly man!" Edward roars, now fully awake when he thought he heard Envy's distinctive lithe sounding voice not too far away from him. When he jolts up in bed, he is met with two bewildered facial expressions, one smugly smiling expression, and of course, that smug look belonged to Envy, who sat just at the foot of his twin-sized bed in front of him. And the other, was Alphonse, who stood not too far away from the balcony doors beside them.

"Hey shorty, glad to see you're finally awake." Envy greets, waving with a carefree smirk, that quickly fell from his face as he replaced it with a dark scowl. "Although, I'd rather you call me _Envy_, and not anything that has to do with being a girl you loud mouthing Chibi-chump of a tiny half-pint pipsqueak!" He counters.

Edward growls and as he was about to lunge, he finally realizes something.

He blinks several times as he looked around at his surroundings. "Where am I? I'm at the apartment? How? What time is it? What're YOU doing here?!" He shouts all at once as he finishes his rapid questions to point into Envy's face.

Envy ignores the finger pointing at his face and looks away to stare out of the balcony. "I carried you here." He states dryly. Not that anyone gives a shit.

Edward drops the accusing finger and blinks in confusion multiple times.

"Now get some rest you ungrateful half-wit." Envy soon deadpans, getting up from the bed to quickly exit the room. Ignoring Alphonse's gentle plea for him to stay the night, considering it is already dark out, and chose to ignore the way Edward had looked at him with regret clear in his bright gold eyes. He looked as though he really wanted to say he was sorry.

He didn't need to be told that, he was just glad to see the Chibi alive and kickin' to see another day…And be able to argue till his heart content with him again.

Leaving three incredulous people behind, not to mention an angry looking Edward who still didn't have all his questions answered, they all looked at the retreating form of Envy who easily found his way out of the apartment and without even a second glance over his shoulder.

"Answers here people! Answers!" Demanded both Edward, including his father Hohenhiem as both of them were equally confused as to what happened prior, and why in the hell did a guy named Envy carry him back from what seemed to be a good day of sight-seeing.

Apparently it wasn't a good day out, considering that Edward was gingerly touching his nose.

"So that _wasn't_ a girl?" Hohenhiem states pointing into the direction from where he saw the surprisingly girly sounding boy retreat to.

* * *

_Just call me Hella-chan. I have no idea why I said that. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue to like it. I didn't change much here, but I DID try and fix grammar mistakes and shit like that...So hope I got them all if not...Damn those sneaky error's. Straight to hell._


	6. Surprises!

_I AM SO FUCKING SORRY! I know! You guys must haaaaate meeeee! And I totally don't blame you at all!_

_Oh...And I'm so sorry if there are still mistakes, I couldn't really see them!_

* * *

**Chapter 6: Surprises.**

"There you go little guy...You look pretty adorable when you glare at me like that." Ling states with a grin, propping both his elbows up on his knees as he squats down beside a glaring golden eyed cat.

Reminding him of a little someone by how short the kitten's legs were, and laughed at how big the cat acted.

Cocky little shit…But it was adorable to witness the kitten trying to hiss, and when the little kit starts arching its back and starts walking sideways, creeping towards him.

"I should give you to the guy...He's a lot like you." Ling states with a chuckle when the cat glares at him a second time, before going back to eat hungrily at his food inside the dish in front of its snow white paws.

Ling once again sighs and looks away from the adorable glaring kitten to look over and above his dark pony-tailed head.

When he opens the doors to the balcony of his room, he always had a great view of the rising sun in the lightly shining blue sky, the moon was now setting in the distance beyond the city buildings causing the sky to shed an orange glow that engulfed the entire city in what looked like orange flames, and with all the magnificent glowing colors cascading in through the opened balcony doors to his bedroom floor, which he was now sitting on, he inhaled deeply through his nostrils with a tranquil sigh as he opened his eyes once again.

He felt his lips curl upwards in a sneer when the sign of a new day was seen. "Equivalent exchange...What does that mean to you Edward?" Ling asks himself as he gives a devious smirk. His white teeth showing as he laughs darkly to himself.

He had so much plans already forming in his head for the golden haired stranger that just waltz into his life the day before, that he didn't know what to do first. His mind was creating devious plans, tricks, schemes and everything in between that he felt his hands twitching eagerly, so he rubbed them together in anticipation.

He was good at planning, like a God, but not so blasphemous.

His plans were already beginning to unfold by the start of a new day, and each of them revolved around a certain short teenager that wore bright gaudy red.

Then he felt his mood simmer down when he looked around his own room, it was empty, nothing inside his own room was his, which only felt like a prison to him. There was a certain title in his family bloodline, a title that he never wanted, was already marked on him since the day he was born—a title that would sooner or later be passed down forcibly onto his shoulders by his father.

This house was never his, it never felt like a home to him even as a child.

This "house" to him, was made by his father's money. It was materialistic three story mansion, they were wealthy, and the mansion always screamed "taste" and "luxury".

But now that he was starting to look forward to his days, he started to look at life as though it was new beginning to him, a new life, and he was eager and happy that he wasn't going to be bored anymore, he wasn't going to have the same damn routines anymore, and his plans for the start of his own new life were finally going to commence. And Edward Elric, will be helping him in that task, and help fill in the blanks in his life.

Ling had high expectations for his new "Friend" after all, all that was there left for him to do at the end of it all, was reap the harvest and start anew.

"Ow!" Ling whines as he sticks his middle finger inside his mouth, glaring at the ball of light orange fur that sat below his arm, glaring heatedly up at him, both of them having a glaring contest before Ling shivers and looks away, slightly disturbed at how much the cat resembled that of Ed.

"You're creepy...Maybe he'll be reincarnated as you." Ling states with a nervous smile, once he looks back to the kitten, he tries picking the little thing up, that is until it hisses pitifully and tries for a second swipe at his hand.

Ling dodges the attack with a yelp of fear.

"That's it. I'm giving you to Edward, whether you like it or not cat." Ling announces determinedly, thumbing his chest proudly as if making the vow to himself.

The cat only glares and growls at him while flicking its tail back and forth, it bends back down towards its small bowl and continues glaring at Ling as it finished the contents of food inside the dish with eager and hungry sounding growls.

* * *

Edward sighs at the beginning of a new day, his muscles were sore from the night before when Envy carried him all the way back from the bus station to his home, what was more embarrassing from that entire unconscious trip home, was that he discovered he was carried by Envy in a piggy-back ride.

His first reaction to that—if he had ever woken up to find him on Envy's back—would probably be with him screaming in terror, before kicking and punching wildly.

That's if he _wasn't _unconscious.

But oh, how he was.

What was even more embarrassing was that Envy had carried him all the way to his BEDROOM without him even fully knowing, until he finally woke up, not only that, but Hohenhiem was a witness to it all.

Ed definitely wasn't looking forward to breakfast that day, nor was he looking forward to seeing Ling today either…But especially Envy.

_'Hopefully he's sick, not just sick, but so disgustingly sick that he can't even get up out of bed to puke.'_ Edward thought begrudgingly inside his head, scowling at the blankets that covered over his face.

His long blonde hair had fallen loose from its pony-tail and fell all around his head as he continued to lie in bed to kill the time.

He hardly had a wink of sleep that night, only because Envy was invading his thoughts, and because he was over-thinking things again, about how his father's reaction at seeing his own son getting a piggy-back ride from a total stranger would be, a piggy-back ride by someone who also happened to be a BOY, all the way back to his apartment, and about how his father's first reaction was when he got caught being laid in bed by said stranger.

Yeah, definitely not going to be his day at all...Then again, Edward couldn't think of a day where he hadn't had a stroke of bad luck and bouts of stupid decisions.

It wasn't exactly HIS fault either, life was just too short to let it pass by slow and boring, he lived it up to the fullest, whether he had to pull pranks on others for a good laugh, or for him to make a stupid decision—or two—and do something out of pure impulse for some form of entertainment.

Life wasn't worth living, if it meant constantly being bored, he was a go-getter, a seeker, and he was rash, he always did things his way or the responsible way. He always chose the latter for better results in his search for fun.

But he _definitely_ didn't mean to look down at his bloody hand that yesterday evening, for the second time, and then faint shortly after-words.

_That_ was just him being stupid.

And he can admit that…Well…At least to himself.

Edward sighs heavily and rolls around inside his bed, scratching at his stomach as his does and lays back down onto his back. He was dead tired, and he was already dreading the day-that didn't even begin to start.

His eyes were burning, and he kept incessantly yawning. Dreams really didn't help either, because every time he managed to fall asleep, nightmares would plague him, they weren't nightmares of family members being murdered or anything morbid like that…But he would most definitely title them under nightmares.

Only because Envy kept popping up in his dreams, no matter what his dreams were about, Envy was always there in some way.

Edward scowls darkly and shakes his head.

The first dream, was about him and Envy sitting at the kitchen table inside Hohenhiem's apartment, and they were innocently playing monopoly, that was the weirdest dream he ever had.

But then the second dream...He didn't even wanna remember, but the image kept flashing in his head like a damn strobe light.

He dreamt about laying on the couch inside his and Al's house back in Phoenix, he was oddly warm, fuzzy almost, as though he was being held inside a blanket, and when he rolled onto his back, he felt even warmer when he felt fabric of some kind on top of his skin, it was like a blanket and he clung to it for dear life, but it wasn't a blanket, it was flesh, and when he opened his eyes, his eyes met with Envy's shining purple orbs, and the long-haired teenager was staring down at him, and for once, the older teenager's eyes weren't glaring at him, or looking at him as though he wanted to mock him just for the sake of wanting to piss him off, instead, Envy's eyes were staring into his own with…Lust…? Pride? Edward didn't understand that look, but when he reached up to pull on Envy's hair—for reasons even he couldn't understand, he just felt this urge to—the long-haired teenager leaned down and thrusted into him. Which caused him to make a horrible, embarrassing, and strangled sounding moan.

"Edward! Breakfast!" He heard Alphonse shout from within the kitchen as he then heard plunking of pans and dishes.

Edward didn't notice, but he gasped in surprise at his name being called, and quickly he sat up in bed, his head spinning with the image, and try as he might, he just couldn't get it out of his head…Or get the reaction it created, out of his body.

His lower stomach felt like it was burning, no, as though it was being weighed down, and his heart beat was irregular, and his groin…Felt oddly strained and constricted.

Edward growls in obvious displeasure and quickly jumps out of bed to run to his bathroom, feeling the need to shower. As if showering would relieve him of the image and the nightmare.

He didn't mind eating a cold meal, as long as it tasted good, he was perfectly fine with eating cold food.

When Edward tore off his clothes in haste and threw them on the tiled floor of the bathroom, he quickly steps into the shower and runs the water; at first he started the water with heat, wanting to be as warm as possible. But when he looked down, and noticed that a certain part of his body wasn't…Going…Down…He groans in frustration and turns the water on cold.

And on full blast.

And he was soon heard howling form the top of his lungs from Alphonse and Hohenhiem—who were already sitting at the kitchen table.

Shooting curious and odd glances at each other, both of them were wondering what the hell was wrong with Edward now.

* * *

"Get out of my room Wrath!" Envy roars at the crazy long-haired kid that ran about inside his bedroom, who was laughing like a crazy child—on cocaine—as he tried catching his terrified pet gerbil, that constantly tried running away from home.

Just for the little rats sake of getting away from his so called "Master" Who tortured him more than hugged him.

Envy had a rude awakening, not just by his psychotic four year younger brother, but by his parents shouting and screaming at one another at the top of their fucking lungs, something along the lines of "since the divorce" and "These are rightfully my kids" and "my property", and all that dramatic adult shit.

The word "divorce" no longer scared him, he lived through that shit in his life already, as long as he gets to decide whether to stay or go by the time he was 18 was good enough for him. He hated staying under the same roof as his foster-mother "Dante" who decided to take him and his siblings away from their first foster father, "King Bradley" two years ago.

King Bradley was a rich man, had enough wealth and fame to end world hunger, but was too stubborn and selfish to even consider it or give it a second thought. He was asking for it though when he suddenly fell "In Love" with a woman who was years younger than him and signed away his life to her.

Literally, he signed his life away to her.

King Bradley let her sign the prenuptial papers, and he signed the sheet as well, probably thinking that "She would never divorce me if I keep her happy with money"

Which worked for a while, until she started getting bored of living her life with an old man, and divorced him, taking half to nearly all of his money and estates, and leaving him a hopeless fool that got a gold digger for a wife that just successfully screwed him over.

So she now has custody over him and his other foster siblings.

There was him, 17-years-old, his older sister Lust, 19-years-old, his younger brother Wrath, 13-years-old, and his older brother Greed, 20-years-old almost turning 21 in a few more weeks.

Envy roars again at his younger brother one last time, then throws his clock at him, he hadn't expected the damn thing to have a direct hit on Wrath's head, so when it landed with a loud "Thunk!" sound, he winces and waits for his brother's out-burst of fake tears and loud, heavy, and over-dramatic, sobs.

Seriously, the kid never grew up. Only when he found a new way of torturing people.

Once he heard Wrath's over the top crying, he sighs in disdain and plugs his ears, waiting for more noises, which came from his foster mother and father shouting at him to stop being mean to his younger brother or else he wouldn't have allowance for an entire month.

He doesn't give a shit; he was going to leave anyways sooner or later.

So why push him further over the edge when he had a better chance at living on his own than inside a house full of misfits and shouting parents?

He would survive on the streets much longer than he was going to survive in a household full of insane teenagers and materialistic and money hungry parents. He was getting sick and tired of his life a long time ago. But now...It seemed as though it was starting to look up.

He found a new toy to play with and pass his time as well.

That toy, was a blonde-haired short stack of a teenager, that had no fashion sense to even call fashion sense, and had anger issues and height problems more-so than any teenager he had ever met. He was a joy either way to piss off and then relish in many arguments with.

"I wonder how he's doing?" Envy asks himself, then shrugs un-caringly.

He gets up from his bed and shrugs out of his skin tight half-cut muscle shirt, and throws it in the dirty pile that sat in the center of his room for the maid to take and clean, and then got out a different shirt.

Grinning happily when he found one of his favorite shirts, one that was completely baggy at the sleeves, but looked good with the way it hung down loose from his shoulder blades and showed them off, and with the top half was baggy but when the shirt/sweater hugged his hips tightly, it showed his figure perfectly. He liked weird things, and had weird tastes in fashion, so what? Fucking sue him for wearing what he wanted to wear.

Just as he hooked his thumbs in the hem of his boxers and was about to pull them down to show the entire world his naked ass, he sighs heavily and turns to look over his shoulder when he felt a pair of leering eyes at his backside.

And as usual, the one staring at him with that disgusting lustful look deep in his red and purple eyes, was Greed.

Envy crosses his arms over his chest and turns around. "What the fuck are you looking at?" Envy questions dangerously, glaring hatefully at his older foster brother, hoping that if he glared hard enough, the guy in front of him would burst into flames and die on the spot.

But just as many of the other things that have disappointed him in his life, his hopes were yet again shot down in cold blood as Greed only shrugs his shoulders with a smirk on his face, his long shark like teeth shining under the lights above his spiked head.

"Looking at a dirty bitch that deserves to get treated like the rest of the whores." Greed retorts spitefully as he laughs loudly at his own joke.

Envy rolls his eyes, like he never heard that one before. "Whatever, get the fuck out." He replies coldly as he turns around again.

He could still feel the pervert's eyes on his ass. So he turns around again, "Get out!" He roars, more demanding and menacing, and this time as he picks up his second object, a lamp, and gets the object ready to let the damn thing fly.

Greed merely smirks and does as he was told, but not without sticking out his middle finger and grabbing at his crotch as he laughed the words. "Eat me, freak." Then he walks out the door with dark laughter.

Envy shivers in disgust once the coast was clear, and mentally groans in disdain and repulse at his older "brother".

Now he felt the need to shower. So he grabs the things necessary for him to shower and heads to the bathroom connected to his room.

Incest wasn't in his blood, they weren't exactly related. And he and Greed weren't as close as him and Lust were. But Envy would never give Greed a chance, would never give Greed what he wanted, or even consider his sick and perverted fantasies. He would rather die several times painfully and slowly than put up with that fucking sick bastards shit.

Just another day in the life of Envy.

* * *

As Edward walks in through the doors of the school, his heart beat quickens when he sees two of the world most worst nightmares to ever exist in the human race—okay maybe that was a bit dramatic, but he didn't think so—walk on either side of different hallways of the school, and then notices, and in complete horror, that the both of them were heading straight for him, with those evil sadistic smirks on both of their smug faces as they both wave at the same time.

His blood ran cold. And he wanted to high-tail it outta there.

"That's creepy...Their both looking right at you brother." Alphonse states nervously, equally as scared as his older brother. "Should we run?" He squeaks when they get closer.

Edward didn't even want to nod his head.

Frightened that if he made any sudden movements, they would think of it as a sign to approach him.

Which of course, they eventually were going to do.

So he sighs heavily and pulls at his pony-tail, choosing to look at the happy smiling face of Ling than at that creepy smirk of Envy's. But he did wave to Envy, why he did it, he didn't even know. But he was as sure as hell wasn't going to thank him for that Goddamn awful piggy-back ride he got from him last night, besides…He couldn't even look him straight in the eye without being reminded of that damn, God awful, horrible dream he had.

Ling was first to approach the small golden-haired teenager as he hugs him tightly and fast.

So fast, that Edward couldn't even do anything about the embrace until it was too late.

"I'm so glad you came back to school! I thought for sure you weren't going to even consider it from what happened yesterday!" Wails the raven haired teenager as he squeezes the short teen in his arms.

Edward cracks a painful sounding yelp as he struggles inside the surprisingly strong arms of Ling. "Let me go! Don't make me kick your ass so early in the Goddamn morning Ling!" he roars, blushing a furious red once he catches Envy's dark purple eyes glaring at the back of Ling's head.

_'Oh God this is embarrassing! Al! Help me!' _Edward begs inside his head as he looks over to the smiling Alphonse. Then he narrows his eyes, _'Bastard! You're getting a sick cheap kick out of this aren't you?'_

Ling suddenly lets the squirming and growling Edward go with a huff of a chuckle. "I've got a surprise for you Ed." He states happily.

Edward had to quirk an eyebrow up at that statement. "Surprise?" Sue him. He was curious. Who wouldn't be if a surprise was involved?

Suddenly interrupting Ling's explanation was Envy as he checks the teenager into a nearby locker with his shoulder blade.

"Oops! Sorry there ding-a-Ling! Didn't see ya!" Envy apologizes sarcastically as he laughs mockingly in the hall, he turns his attention to the gaping red-cloaked teenager and gives the runt a two finger salute. "Hey'ya runt." Envy grins, then quickly dodges the predictable punch and grabs the shorter teen's fist with his own hand.

"Don't call me that fuckin' word Envy." Edward spits his warning as he glares heatedly at Envy's smug smile. Why couldn't people just leave him alone? A new day just started! He wanted to be ignored for the entire day!

The long-haired teenager merely laughs and continues to hold onto Edward's fist in his hand. "I also got a surprise for you." Envy states, then quickly dives for Edward's ear with a smirk and whispers. "But you'll have to wait till tonight."

Edward, yet again, gapes, and felt a surge of heat rise to his face as Envy slowly backs away from his ear.

The latter's face was still smug looking as he only continues smirks down at the bemused and incredulous facial expression of Edward.

"Htch...Buh...Huh...?" Edward mumbles idiotically as his face goes a darker shade of red.

Ling quickly shoves away the smirking Palm-tree with a rough shove into his shoulder blade and shoots him a menacing glare as he lightly grabs onto Edward's shoulder and tugs him away. "Get out of here Envy, no one wants to hear your sick fantasies." Ling snaps.

Envy glares, and turns swiftly on his heel, not without turning to look over his shoulder at the gawking shorter teenager with a smirk. "See ya tonight Ed!" He announces loudly.

And to everyone inside the hallway, which the three were on for that matter, and Edward watches as the entire student body turn their gaping and questioning eyes at him from over their shoulders.

Edward pales at the sudden display of gaping mouths they get from nearly all of the students on that floor, and then blushes a darker shade of scarlet as he quickly grabs Alphonse and Ling by their sleeves and pulls them away quickly and into a sprint.

"Let's get outta here..."

* * *

After school, well, Edward was actually _begging _to go back to Hohenhiem's apartment, he was practically _jogging _down the school's hallways, down several steps, passing many staring students, and ran down so much halls and rounded so much corners that he was still amazed he never once bumped into, or fell on, any of the students.

His last class, was odd…Not for the fact that Physical Education was taught by the world's biggest cry-baby of a big bald man, but because Ling wasn't with him in the class, he probably skipped out to go goof off somewhere, or to find somebody else to pester and bug the crap out of.

But Edward was as sure as hell—which still didn't exist by the way—wasn't worrying about him, no, he was actually glad that Ling hadn't seen him yet, that would make it an even easier and faster retreat out the doors of the school, and because Ling didn't know where he lived was even a more of a positive thing.

He could go home without having to worry about Ling and Envy giving him their supposed "Surprises".

_'What in God's name do they think they were doing? And why ME?! Why!? I wanna move! I don't like it here! Alphonse! Can you hear me!? Let's skip town, pack our bags, and ditch this city! I know you can hear me! I'm using my Edward Elric telekinesis on you!' _Edward roars inside his head, just for the sake of not knowing what else to do.

Still zigzagging through the halls, he had no idea what—or even knew _why_—Ling and Envy were both…_Attracted_—

_'No! Damn it, that was NOT a good word to describe how they're acting towards me, that was just pushing it and making it sound completely…Well, gay.' _Edward thought, shaking his head furiously. That was a wrong word to describe them.

And that was a thing he was NOT…He was NOT gay. Nope.

'Alright then…Why are Ling and Envy so…Crazy about wanting to be my friend? Why are they going through the trouble and doing shit for me? Is it just to get my attention and be my friend? Or what is their real purpose? Did they want something from me?'

Yes.

They did.

What they wanted, Edward could only guess, he had no clue, he had nothing to offer them, hell, he didn't even want to offer them shit! But fuck…He didn't know what to do anymore.

He groans loudly, but then smiles triumphantly not ten seconds after when he sees that the double doors of the school were opened widely, revealing his beautiful and successful escape from two psyho's, and with their crazy ass ideas in their minds, in the dust. He made it out.

And with no surprises.

'Thank you Lord!—even though I so know you don't exist but I have nothing or no one else to pray to! Thank you!'

"Ed!"

"Oh balls." Edward bemoans. Ling, Ling Yao just caught up with him.

Edward quickly looks over his shoulder and pass his black and red back-pack, to see Ling making a beeline through the rest of the crowd filled hall—with many wailing and roaring obnoxious students—as he successfully makes it to his side close by the doors, all the while, clutching and holding onto his back-pack by the bottom and the top, as though it was a bomb that needed to be thrown out the doors and fast.

Edward quirks an eyebrow up at him and begins walking with Ling down the rest of the hallway and then out the double doors. "What's up? Why're you holding your back-pack like a bomb?" Then he thought back to P.E. and how Ling evidently skipped class, and now…By the looks of how happy his faced seems to be…

'_Oh shit_.' Edward deadpans inside his head.

"Are you high?" Ed quickly rationalizes.

That could be the reason why Ling's holding his bag like a bomb. And the fact that he's smiling more than usual. He's holding his back-pack weird, he has a large smile on his face, and that could be the reason why his eyes were always so damn squinty. Now Edward got it. Ling was a secret drug dealer.

Ling only laughs, and loudly at that.

"Oh Jesus Christ, I'm friends with a goddamn stoner!" Edward groans, slapping a hand to his face as he drags it down.

Ling finally ceases his laughing fit as he wipes a non-existent tear from the corner of his eye. "Oh, I wish I was high Edward. But it's your surprise! Let's go over here. Quick!" Ling states, grabbing Edward by the sleeve, with an-all-too-eager-smile, as he starts pulling him along and all the way to the other side of the school.

"H-hey! Ling you bastard, wait!"

"Edward! Where are you going?"

"Oh balls." Edward groans again, he forgot about a certain someone.

No, not Envy. Which was at least one accomplishment for the day.

But his own damn brother.

Edward stops, halting Ling at the same time, and looks over his shoulder to see Alphonse standing not too far away with an odd and confused expression on his face as he eyes Ling and then looks back to him.

As if trying to discern something, like something was amiss.

Edward tilts his head in confusion, but smiles either way as he waves at Alphonse with smile. "Hi Al! I'll be right there! Wait up!"

Ling smiles and waves the other Elric over as well. "Not a chance! C'mere Alphonse! I wanna give ya something too!" Ling states enthusiastically, waving vigorously with a grin when he notices that Alphonse was tilting his head in curiosity, then grins in delight when the boy starts walking their way with a small nervous smile.

"Ling!" Edward hisses, grabbing the teenager's collar and pulling him down to his scowling face. "What's in the bag? If its drugs, I don't want you giving Alphonse jack-_shit_ you hear me asshole?" Edward growls, twisting the collar of Ling's shirt tighter in his hands, until it rubbed harshly into Ling's skin.

Most likely, he was going to leave a long red mark across Ling's throat from the abuse, but he couldn't care-less.

Actually, no, he can, for he twists harder.

Ling hisses painfully between clenched teeth as he nods his head with a smile. "It's nothing like that Edward, believe me, it's a present, from me to you…And apparently your brother." Ling states, peeling himself away from Edward's prying hands as he waves at Al one last time. "What would you name a cat if you had one?" He suddenly asks, hands on top of the back-packs handle.

Alphonse squeals, and bounds over to Ling closer. Eyes beaming with hope. "I would name it something cute! Like Julia!" He enthused, grinning from ear-to-ear as he jumps up and down on the spot.

Ling merely laughs as he nods his head in approval. "I like that name, although, Julia would sound like a weird name for a boy cat, wouldn't it?"

Edward shakes his head with a frustrated sigh. "Why would you bring that up Ling? Now he's gonna get the idea that you're giving us a—" Edward was soon cut off when Ling un-zipped his bag.

And out he pulled from within the bag, a cat, a grumpy looking one, that mewed pitifully when displayed to the two gawking blonde teenagers.

Alphonse cheers merrily as he holds out his arms in expectancy. "Can I hold him?! Please?" He gushes.

"Oh _God_…" Edward grumbles as he sighs heavily in disdain.

How he hated cats, he was a dog person…But his brother was the biggest cat lover he ever met, it was hard trying to get away from them.

Because in the past, Alphonse stole up to 10 cats without Edward knowing, until one day he stumbled upon their hiding place, which wasn't much of a hiding place when they were kept just inside their garage back in Phoenix.

Not only did he not like cats, but…Whenever Al had tried to convince him on keeping one as a pet…It just never worked out too well, one, their mother is allergic…_Was_ allergic…And another, well, they just couldn't keep one when they both had busy schedules of school and after school jobs, they wouldn't have time to take care of it or to train it. It will only grow up to resent them and grow up being a badass.

Edward knew these things yet…Ling gave them a cat, a damn _cat_, and only on the second day of him even knowing the both of them!

And looking at Alphonse's face, shining brightly with joy and for once, looking completely happy for the first time in such a long time since they moved from Phoenix, it was a change, a very good change might Ed add.

"Oh for fuck sakes Ling!" Edward suddenly snaps, stamping his foot down hard onto the cement.

Ling and Al both flinch at the sudden—and very loud—out-burst.

Causing the both of them to look over to Edward's general direction with shocked expressions on both of their faces.

Al took a cautious step back, holding the kitten close to him. While Ling stood his ground and stared daringly into Edward's heatedly glaring eyes.

Edward cursed Ling's name once again and looked at Al. Glared at that damned cat, and back to Ling. "You're a fucker, you know that Ling?" Edward sighed, running a hand through his hair, until slapping his hand to his side. "Now I gotta keep that cat or my brother will have a hissy…Thanks a lot, asshole." Edward grumbled.

Ling blinks confusingly.

While Alphonse squeals in delight and holds the cat in his arms as gently as he could, but with enough force, to call it a loving embrace.

"Thank you so much Edward!" Alphonse thanks whole heatedly, then looks over to Ling with a grin. "Thank you so much too, Ling! This is amazing! My brother might not be so enthused about this, but I'm doing his cheering for him! He thanked you too, so you be grateful!" Alphonse states in pure joy as he hops to Ling's side, holding the cat securely to his hip, as he gives Ling a one armed hug.

That got Edward growling.

But the two were oblivious to it all as Ling pulls Al into a one armed hug in return as he chuckles happily. "I'm glad you like it! And you too Edward, your practically _glowing_ with pure happiness." Ling states dryly, slyly smirking at the shorter teenager who was only glaring daggers at him.

"Drop dead." Ed deadpans, then looks to the cat. "So what're you gonna name him Al?" He asks, smiling small despite feeling an open resent towards Ling.

Even more so than he already did.

"I don't know brother! What does he look like to you?" Asks Alphonse innocently, as he hoists the kitten up to his face, then smiles brightly when the kitten made some sort of snort, as though he was rolling his eyes in sarcasm.

That was cute.

"He looks like an Edward!" Ling states happily, grinning over Al's shoulder to the grouchy glaring kitten. Who actually did look like Edward. Scary.

Alphonse giggles. "He does, doesn't he? He's so cute! Little Edward~" Alphonse coo's to the kitten, using one finger to scratch underneath it's orange furry chin gently, which the kitten responds to that loving gesture, was by pointing it nose up further and begins to purr lowly in its throat, obviously enjoying the feel of someone petting him for the first time.

Alphonse quietly squeales in delight. "He's adorable!" he whispers furiously, in fear that if he made his voice any louder, it would startle the poor innocent kitten.

"I'm not little! And I'm not cute! Don't name that damn cat that!" Edward hurriedly denies the name as he shakes his head wildly. "That's a stupid name for a cat." He presses. Crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Edward! It's your own name, you idiot!" Alphonse hisses, holding the kitten close to his form, trying to protect the precious life within his arms as if it was his own child. "And it's not stupid! At least not for a cat, it's an adorable name for a cat!" Alphonse argues, smiling once again down at the kitten in his arms as he starts petting it lovingly once again.

Edward sighs in defeat, his brother could be just as stubborn as him, it was a damn cat, his name was for a damn cat.

One that looked completely grouchy and looked like it didn't even acknowledge his presence at all.

Damn did he hate cats, always thought they were high and mighty. Little assholes the lot of 'em.

But Alphonse loved them.

Then, he guessed, he could tolerate them. For his younger brother's sake.

He couldn't hold back the smile that graced his lips as he shakes in head in exasperation. "You idiot." He states wistfully. "Fine, let's go home and show Hohenhiem, don't know what he'll say when he sees you walking in with a cat in your hands…" Edward trails off, flicking his golden eyes over to Alphonse who looks completely shocked, as though the thought never had occured to him, and then his younger brother's face contorts into concern and disappointment as he looks back down to the small orange kitten in his arms, a sad glaze veiling over his hazel eyes.

Edward sighs and pointed to his chest proudly. "But like hell I'll listen to whatever that bastard says! If I say were keeping a cat, then we're keeping the Goddamn cat! I'll defend him for ya Al." Edward reassures, a blazing determination of anger rising up to his eyes as he casts them to the cat, who merely looks up at him with a new-found hope and entrancement at him.

Fuck that was creepy, the cat had emotions and he could see them. Creepy…

Ling looks over to the determined and the unwavering expression that came from the shorter teenager, and it was almost as though he was staring into a poster, he was rigged, but strong and heroic, as though whatever Edward says, he's certain that it'll work out in the end, like…Everything will be alright, that _he_ was going to be there no matter what, that whatever _he_ says, it will work out for the best, and _he_ was going to make damn well sure that the out-come will be perfect.

And fuck…Did it feel good just to look at that expression, Ling felt it spark and crackle in the air around him, it tingled to the very tips of his toes, to his head.

It was strong, and un-wavering, just like he was.

Ling had to shake those thoughts away soon after, hoping that if he shook his head hard enough, those thoughts would fly right out of his ear in the process. Ling looks down to his sneakers in feighning interest. What was that? It was odd…

"Ling? You okay?" Alphonse asks in concern, touching a hand to the long-haired teenager's shoulder for reassurance. "You look pale, wanna come over to my place for tea? It'll make you feel better." Alphonse suggests happily, smiling to Ling, who looks up from his shoes to meet his gaze, his dark charcoal colored eyes staring at him through his black bangs.

Ling felt the blood drain from his face. Edward's younger brother had that in him too…Whatever the hell it was. They were impossible, no one should ever make him feel this way…Like everything was alright. It just wasn't how humans were. Humans were incapable of anything else but stupidity, deceiving others, and war.

So why was it, that everytime he met their eye's, it felt as though the world was changing around him with just their mere glances?

Ling sighs heavily and pinches the bridge of his nose with a hand. "Yeah, maybe I'll take ya up on that offer Al…My head seems to be out of it lately."

Edward snorted. "Isn't it always?"

Alphonse narrows his eyes at his brother's insensitivity. "Brother, sometimes you can be cruel. Ling is in pain and your cracking jokes at his expense." Alphonse scolds his older brother with ease as he claps a hand back onto Ling's shoulder, giving it a helpful and supportive squeeze. "I'll call my father to come pick us up, I don't wanna walk around with someone who is feeling ill, it's just rude to put someone in pain like that." He states with a warm smile.

"Alphonse! Who said that—" And Edward soon snaps his mouth shut when Alphonse turned to glare heatedly at him.

Wow, he just pushed Al's buttons, he never did that in years.

Fuck was it scary to witness, he doesn't like it when Alphonse glares like that, especially at him of all people to direct that hurtful gaze to.

"F-fine. We'll make him tea and see if he feels better after it," Edward reluctantly agrees as he growls lowly in his throat.

Both Ling and Alphonse share a quick high-five.

"And when he feels better, I'm throwing him out myself!" Edward gives them both a warning glare as he shoots an accusing finger to both of their faces, as if it was a vow. But then suddenly he turns around and makes a move back to the schools front doors. "I'm gonna call the old man from inside, since I left my cell-phone on the nightstand." He calls over his shoulder to his brother.

"Okay! We'll…Be here I guess!" He heard Al call from behind him, with a chuckle in his voice.

He waves behind his head, not bothering to look back as he walks over to the steps in front of the school in quick and hurried strides.

Every student was now gone, and the only people that he knew were most likely still inside, would probably be the teachers, the janitors, and themselves of course.

* * *

_Okay, seriously no excuses! I didn't even think to update this story!_

_ Not to mention that I'm only up to chapter 6. I'm re-starting and re-typing everything! So believe me when I say this...All the chapter's are sooooo looong! But wish me luck! I ain't abandoning this story!_


	7. Brick By Boring Brick

**Chapter 7: Brick By Boring Brick.**

Edward had no idea how long they stayed beside the school for, because every student was now gone, as well as all the buses. But he didn't care.

More room for him to walk in the hallways in search for a phone he could use.

Cursing his stupidity straight to hell—because he left his cell-phone on the nightstand by his bed that morning—he continues to walk the empty hallways.

He has multipule excuses as to _how _and _why _he forgot his cell phone that morning.

The first one, being as how he showered to get his uncomfortable erection down. The second excuse was that he was stumbling, and tripping over his own two feet trying to hurry into a pair of jeans and a shirt, and finally, being as how he was dreading over the _most likely _awkward meal of breakfast.

Then he found himself cursing something—or rather, some_one_—else; everything would've been fine, breakfast would've been enjoyed in silence, save it for the occasional "thank you's" that he would say to his brother for the well cooked meal, but no, his father just had to ruin the meal by asking question after question from Edward.

And the last question Honehiem asked, Edward had to throw the fucking newspaper that he was reading, into his dad's face.

It wasn't even a damn smart question to ask, espiecially for the fact that _he just woke up, _not to mention he was feeling particularly grouchy from the night before, and therefore pissing him off further was his dad, asking an idiotic question of:

_"Edward, do we need to have…"The Talk"…?"_

Edward seethes and clenches his hands into fists at the horrid memory. "Bastard. Mom beat ya to it Hohenhiem." He grumbles under his breath. "About 5 years ago...to be precise." He sighs heavily.

Once making it down the hallway, he strides over to the map that is hanging up on the other side of the hallway, and starts sliding his finger to and fro along the school's layouts, he still didn't know his way around the school, he looked to Alphonse for help of the school's directions, since he didn't have a memory quite as strong and as quick as Alphonse's, and he'd be damned if he asked Ling for any directions.

Because usually, Edward just followed his gut feeling, and took a random left turn in any hallway he was on if he didn't know where he was going, and if he happened to be going to the same class with Ling—which they shared three classes with—he would usually let the guy lead the way, but making sure to keep it a secret from Ling that he didn't know jack-shit about the schools halls.

Just so he could make it look like he wasn't all that stupid as Ling made him out to be.

That fucker seemed to be smart.

And especially with the words he uses, like he just seems to know what to say at the right time, and hell…Negotiating with the guy was dangerous, and just plain stupid.

And Edward still has yet to know the full extent and wrath of Ling's negotiating and manipulating skills. He just dug himself a nice grave for Ling to dump his body in.

Edward never trusted anyone in his life, never, only people he trusts, are Alphonse and his deceased mother. He could trust granny Pinako and Winry when the time called for it, but he was still wary of what to share about his life with them. He didn't like the idea of letting everyone know about everything that he feels or how he saw the world through his eyes. It just made him feel prickly and uncomfortable.

And like hell was he going to let Ling know everything about him. He never trusted, and he will never start now, just because he moved into a different city.

That…That part of him, trusting others...was behind him.

_"If you had a choice...Would you leave...?"_

_"No. I wouldn't leave you behind."_

_"What about Alphonse?"_

_"I trust him, and I like him...But you're special."_

He quickly shakes his head, trying to shake away the thoughts inside his head along with his rapid movements, but soon he growls under his breath in frustration and resists the urge to punch a hole straight through the wall.

Instead of focusing on the past, he slides his finger over some tiny lines—he guessed were hallways—as he double-checks the route to the front desk, and then shook his head.

No use getting worked up over the guy. Who he was inviting into his home, and there by, letting him know where he lived.

_Live_ Goddammit.

He didn't like the idea of letting Ling know where he lived, because then Edward thought, what if he showed up for random visits? What if he just kept visiting him as though they've been friends for dick years? What would his father say about the visits too? Hohenhiem was already questioning his sexuality, and Edward didn't want to give his dad another reason to question him and the friends he chooses to bring home.

Hohenhiem already saw Envy, and that didn't go too well, considering that Edward heard from Alphonse that Envy called Hohenhiem a 'bastard,' not only that, but with the way Envy dresses, which is tight clothing, but "tight clothing" doesn even sound like the right term to describe what Envy chooses to waear, but fucking-holy-shit-tight-clothing seemed more like the right term to describe Envy's sense of fashion, his clothes just hugged everything.

Anyways, why was he thinking about Envy's tight clothing again?

Oh, yeah, right. Because Hohenhiem saw Envy—someone who he thought was a girl—carry his son to his bedroom, and who Hohenhiem saw drop Edward into bed.

Envy looked gay to the human eye, anyone would think that Envy was gay just by looking at him, but Edward didn't know if he was. Hohenhiem got the impression that Envy was gay, and therefore got the impression that his _son was gay_, and that was probably the reason why Hohenhiem asked if Edward would like to have the 'birds and the bees' talk with him.

So if his so called "father" has this idea that his own son was gay, just because he saw him getting carried in by a guy named Envy, then it probably wasn't a good idea that Edward should bring yet another _guy_ into his house, that is, until he cleared his name from the second top of "Hohenhiem's list of gay's" inside his head.

The first one of course was that was on top Hohenhiem's list was Envy. Just because.

Edward would be a fool to trust someone that was as crafty as Ling Yao. Edward was sure that Ling just loved to push his buttons just for the hell of it, and if bringing him into his house, and if Ling got this impression that Hohenhiem thought of his own son a being gay, then Ling would most definitely do anything in his power to prove to Hohenhiem that his son actually _was _gay.

Even if he wasn't.

Just because Ling wanted to see him angry beyond all words.

Edward shakes his head from those swarming, annoying, thoughts, as he places his hands behind his head and weaves his fingers together. "Take a right down the hall I'm on now, then that should lead me to Hughes's office." He says in determination, flicking his golden hues from hall to hall, then finally, he goes with what the map says and heads down the hallway he was on.

_'I'm getting too paranoid, I'm thinking too much again…But fuck. My theory in this doesn't at all sound irrational or absurd…It only sounds, well, dead-ON. I'm probably going crazy…But it'll be stupid of me to NOT trust any of my instincts that I have now. I'll just have to follow my gut in whatever I do. But give extra, extra good thought to what Ling and Envy do. I can't trust them at all.'_

"Hey'ya little man!"

"I am NOT little damn it!" Edward roars without a second thought, but as soon as he whips his head into the direction of such a blasphemous accusation, he regrets ever choosing those words.

And _deeply_.

"Oh f—I mean!—I'm so sorry Mr. Hughes! I didn't mean to—" Edward starts, only to be cut short of his apologies when Hughes raises a hand with a grin and a loud cackle of a laugh.

"It's alright! I just felt like pushing your buttons Edward." Principal Hughes states with a grin, he walks over to edward and pats him roughly on his blonde-head with vigor.

"Heh heh…Who doesn't like pissing me off these days?" Edward grumbles, faking the laugh, and faking the completely phony smile on his face as he loks away from the man's brightly shining smile.

Hughes easily pick up on that small quip from the shorter teenager and quirks an eyebrow down at him. "Is anything the matter Edward? Someone giving you a hard time?" Hughes asks, his voice gentle and understanding, but behind that soft reassuring voice, it held a certain Prinicipal-like edge to his tone, that it made Edward's defenses go through the roof.

Now wasn't that time to get nervous and let slip that two of his students have been annoying him the crap outta him.

Because, hell, he didn't like the two bastards at all, but that alone didn't give him the right and the authority to rat out on them to the Principal of the school.

Besides, it was just petty and not to mention a very weak move to pull.

And what if Ling and Envy got questioned about it by Hughes? It would make him seem like a spoiled brat and a weakling.

No. Hughes didn't have to know anything.

Edward shakes his head after that thought was quickly mulled over, and instead he looks up to the Principal's shining glasses with a timid smile. "No. I was just looking for the phone to call my f—Hohenhiem—that I left my cell at home, and that both me and Al didn't catch the bus. Everything may be crappy now but, it's going to get better Principal Hughes." Edward quips in determination, he was sure of that last part.

Besides, with the way Hughes was looking at him, which was a look of skepicism, it told Edward that the Principal didn't believe what he's telling him one bit.

But after those words were brusquely and firmly announced, Edward inwardly sighed in relief when Hughes's smile once again flits across his features as he pats his head roughly once again.

"I'm glad to hear your hangin' in there Ed. Now come on, I'll let you call your father in _my_ office." Hughes states, pushing lightly at Edward's small shoulder with his own big hand, as he leads the way through the hallways.

Edward nods at the light push and begins weaving through the halls with Hughes leading the way. "Thank you Principal—"

"—Please Edward, just call me Hughes, I'm giving you permission to call me by last name basis." Hughes announces, smiling small down at the incredulous expression of the short teenager. "And from now on, your brother can call me by my last name as well. We're friends, Edward, when school is over," Hughes explains with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "But, when school starts again tomorrow, it's back to being Principal/teacher and you, student, again. Got it?" Hughes challenges, laughing boisterously when he hears Edward give a nervous gulp with a stiff nod of his head. "You're alright Edward!" he laughs loudly. Clapping both his hands on Edward's shoulders roughly.

After weaving the both of them through the hallways, and after Edward got introduced to the clumsy secretary of Hughes's, which the secretary's name was Sheska, he was allowed to use Hughes's phone.

Edward stands in the quiet confines of Hughes's dimly lit office, and it was huge to say the least. Hughes's huge mahogany desk was shining under the lights over-head, and the light's were sparkling onto several pictures frames of what looked to be familiy photo's and pictures of his friends. When Edward peers closer at one picture frame inparticular, he saw that Hughes had a lot of friends, they were all gathered around in a tight-knit circle, as thought they were all trying to squeeze into the picture.

Edward could on guess that Hughes was popular, he had many friends surrounding him inside that one picture alone. And when he looks to one picture, there stood Hughes, smiling cheerfully as usual, and beside him stood a man with midnight shaggy black hair, the man's black banes hung around his face and just between his nose, but the man looked as thought he didn't want to be there at all by the scowl he was giving Hughes in the picture.

Hughes was smiling, while the man stood with a serious expression plastered right across his handsome face. He was handsome yeah, and Edward can admit that, only because the man looked old enough to be his uncle. But Edward was sure that if the man so much as smiled, he would probably glare at him for having such perfect teeth, the man just screamed _perfection_ and _popular_, and that it made him uneasy, but comfotable at the same time.

"You found Roy huh?"

"Jesus Christ!" Edward shouts, hand still held onto the phone in front of him, while his other hand was clutched at his heart, he whips his head around his shoulder, to see Hughes shaking his head with a scolding finger pointed at him.

"No swearing Edward, especially on school grounds." Hughes chastises, he smirks deviously when he notices that the older Elric brother narrowed his eyes.

"Thought you said that I'm your friend when school is over? So as a _friend_ Hughes, I'm gonna swear when someone pressures or pisses me off." Edward informs him with a lazy smirk. "So don't push me or I'll swear like a sailor." He announces, his sardonic smirk never leaving his face even when Hughes chuckles at him under his breath as he shakes his oddly colored hair about in exasperation.

"I'll keep that in mind." Hughes replies easily, then he walks over to his desk and eyes each of his pictures as he passes them by. A small but genuine smile graces his features as he stares at each of his picture frames with a deep sense of nostalgia and longing. Before he passes by his photo's, he stares at one photo, picks it up, and sighs under his breath.

Edward watches him with a downcast expression. He didn't like how Hughes looked at that moment. The man looked…Well…Sad.

As if he was wishing to jump into the photo and relive the moment again. It was disheartening, and it even made _him _want to console the man for no apparent reason, only because he looked so dejected and unhappy.

"His name is Roy." Hughes says after a long moment of uncomfortable silence. Never looking up from the photo he held in front of him.

"Roy Mustang." Hughes finally finishes his sentence. Gently he placed the photo back onto his desk.

Edward hadn't realized before, but now he did, he was watching the older man with his quiet analytical and sharp eyes; he was watching how Hughes's hand was shaking the entire time he held the photo in front of him, and when Hughes put the photo back down, his hand was still slightly trembling, and it only continued to shake.

And Edward also didn't notice before but, he dialed their home phone number and no one answered. It had rung for several quiet minutes now. So he hung up the phone and slowly made his way over to Hughes and stood beside him by his giant desk.

"What…Happened...To him, Hughes?" Edward's voice dropped to a mere whisper as he looks at the photo of him, and what Edward could only guess, was his best friend or brother.

The man seems deeply depressed, and when Edward looks up, he was right, Hughes wasn't even looking at the photo anymore, but away to the wall, keeping his gaze away from his face entirely.

Then Edward averts his eyes back down to the picture, the man standing beside Hughes in the picture looked…Well, handsome was one word to describe the man when looking at him, but…He seemed genuinely and sincerely honorable and loyal. Like a man of pure honor, pride, and self-righteousness, Edward could simply tell by looking into the man's dark eyes. Everything the man—Roy—probably felt at that exact moment when they had took the picture together, and everything Roy had to portray, was nothing but pride and happiness. And Edward can clearly see that in the depths of Roy's dark eyes.

"He's…" Hughes says, after what felt like an eternity to Edward. "Roy is—" Hughes cuts himself off with a dark chuckle, void of mirth and happiness that Edward had once bore witness too in the man just minutes ago in the hallway, it was all but gone entirely in the mans deep chuckle.

No happiness lingered in that dark tone of voice or his laugh.

And that chilled Edward to his bones. _'He's...What?'_

"Roy is a bastard!" Hughes finally says after his evil laughter was done, as he spun around all too quickly for Edward's comfort, as he gave the teenager a maniacal look.

"Hughes—" Edward gasps in fear, but he was soon cut off wtih the ringing of the phone.

Erupting, and interrupting, the already tense air with two long and loud shrill rings, which seemed to echoe inside that deathly silent office, Hughes ruses over to the phone and presses the speaker button.

"Hughes." The Principal deadpans.

_"Maes, what the hell do you want? I got your message after my meeting, and it seemed to have been very urgent by what you told my secretary, so I suggest you tell me what's happening _now_ before I call the police for a warrant to search your house, or I'm hanging up on you now." _Came a very deep, rough, and serious tone of voice that made Edward feel a lick of…Well…Something _he_ didn't even know, crawling up his spine and tingle inside his body.

Making him shiver involuntarily.

"Told ya Roy's a bastard." Maes Hughes deadpans, rolling his eyes as a smirk spreads its way across his features, he winks at the bemused looking teenager with a chuckle slipping pass his lips.

Edward blinks furiously and throws up his hands. "What?" He shouts. "You were!—You look so!—_You're_ the bastard Hughes! You scared the _fucking_ _shit_ outta—"

_"Hughes? Who's that? What're you doing?" _Shouts the voice from the other end of the phone, which was still on speaker by the way, as the voice only continues to send shock waves throughout Edward's body as he continues to furiously demand on what the hell is going on.

Causing the shorter teenager to growl in frustration—just for not being able to see the guys face—just so he can yell at him eye to eye.

Instead, Edward looks to the phone with a glare. "Shut up whoever you are! I'm tryna get mad here!" Yells the blonde to the phone.

A hushed, shocked silence crackles through the air, until Hughes bursts out laughing.

"I'm sorry Roy, Edward Elric is a new student of mine and he's currently having a dilemma, so I'll call you back and talk about my daughter Elicia's birthday later! Toodles!" Hughes announces, and quickly he hands up the phone just as the man's voice on the other end started protesting and shouting at him. "What's the news Edward?" Hughes asks, once he turns back around to face the incredulous looking teenager. "Is your dad—"

"—It's just Hohenhiem Hughes." Edward quickly interjects. Still slightly pissed that the man pulled some sort of sick joke on him.

And after he took the time to feel sorry for the bastard, and to think that he thought the other bastard over the phone was dead!

"Alright…Is Hohenhiem coming to pick you up, or do you need a ride?" Hughes asks, wiping his glasses clean on a tissue paper he had ripped out from the box that is sitting ontop of his oak desk.

Edward shrugs. "Yeah..I think we need a ride, I got a cat and a—Oh fuck!—" He shouts, startling Hughes, who almost drops his glasses in shock. "Alphonse and Ling! Damn it! I totally forgot that their waiting for me!" Edward roars to the man—and mostly to himself—as he then starts throwing his arms to and fro in the air as he runs towards the office door in haste, waving vigorously to Hughes. "Later you bastard!" Edward shouts, about to run out the door.

"Wait! Edward!" He hears Hughes shout after him.

Edward stops by the door and turns around to face Hughes with a confused expression.

"You need a ride right? Well, I'm going home now. Why not catch a ride with me?" Hughes asks, twirling his car keys around his finger, a tantalizing offer of a free ride. "But you owe me one after this." Hughes quips, smirking deviously when Edward goes a shade paler than normal.

Edward inwardly cursed at himself, now he was indebted to this damn Principal, as if he didn't have anything _else _to worry about.

The shorter teen soon sighs heavily in defeat. "Fine! I owe you a favor! Just take us all back to my place, and we can discuss it tomorrow." He agrees reluctantly as he sluggishly begins walking his way back throughout the hallways.

Hughes follows along behind him with a chipper hop in his step and a jaunty cheerful whistle escaping his lips. "Thanks Ed!" Hughes exclaims inside the middle of the hallway. "I just wanted to thank you before I ask you for the favor tomorrow."

Edward merely hums in indifference. "Whatever." He quirks an eyebrow towards the happy-go-lucky principal. "What is it anyways?" He asks, now curious.

He was still inwardly dreading what might it be that Hughes wanted him to do. Favors and deals didn't work out in Ed's favor. It just sucked major balls.

"Well, I haven't gotten the time to pick up a birthday present for my beautiful, adorable, cute as a button daughter Elicia, and I still feel slightly bad about it, and because her birthday is just in two more days and I can't stand not being able to give her a present I was thinking that maybe…"

"You want me to go buy her a present for you, with my own money, wrap the present, bring it to your house, just so you can take all the credit and leave me a couple bucks broke?" Edward finishes, growling in disdain. He soon sighs heavily and shrugs his shoulders. "Whatever Hughes, a favor is a favor, this is just equivalent exchange I'll have you know. I'm doing this to get you off my back and for you to give me and Al a ride home." Edward announces, crossing his arms firmly acorss his chest as they continue down the hallway.

"How very considerate of you Ed." Hughes hums in appreciation.

"Spare me." Edward rolls his eyes. "You're practically glowing with triumph at not being able to lift a finger when necessary, and for successfully manipulating me." Edward scoffs. "But your welcome." He mumbles his last sentence as they made it out the doors of the school.

He smiles small in triumph at not getting lost on his way out the school.

Hughes smirks when Edward had stated just exactly how he feels, but he was also smiling in honest to goodness pride, this boy was different than all the rest, whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, there just seemed to be an inspirational glow about the teenager that every other teen should look up to. Edward Elric will grow up to be a very wise and strong man in the future, Hughes was sure of that, and because of that, he was proud to be a good father-like figure that Edward himself could look up to one day.

"Earth to old man!" Edward shouts, waving his hand in front of the dumb and smiling face of the Principal.

Hughes blinks and looks down at the scowling teenager.

"Glad to see your back Hughes." Edward snaps, then thumbs behind his head to the two teenager's waiting at the bottom of the steps. "They've been sitting on their asses for a long time now, and I'm getting impatient for the both of them because it's my fault I made them wait long. So…" Edward sweeps his hands to the steps, as if to hinting to Hughes that he should get a move on.

Which the Principal obliged to that request—not without a shaking his head first at the teen and a sad sigh escaping his smirking lips. "Maybe I was wrong." He mumbles.

Edward narrows his eyes accusingly. "What?" He asks.

"Nothing." Hughes quickly plasters on a smile as he then raised his hands high up in the air above his head and promptly ignored Ed's accusing glare. "Is anyone ready to go home?" He nearly shouts, laughing all the while.

"Please!" Both Ling and Alphonse replies in unison as they raise their hands.

Edward hops down the stairs and slings an arm over his brother's shoulders, "Sorry I kept ya waitin' Al. How's uhh…The cat…" Edward asks, blinking down at the cat bundled sleepily in Alphonse's arms. Still purring in content.

Alphonse smiles and begins walking along with Edward towards the teacher's parking lot on the right hand side of the school. "_Edward _is doing just fine, Edward." Alphonse announces happily, he soon stick his tongue out at his brother's disgruntled expression.

"I forgot his name was mine." Edward grumbles, scratching the back of his head in discomfort.

Ling bumps into Edward's hip with his own and slings his own arm over the shorter teenaer's shoulders with a smile. "So, whatta 'bout that tea time at your place hm?" He hums, "Because I'm thirsty!" Ling states, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Edward rolls his eyes and quickly removes the arm from around his shoulder's. Then pushes Ling away from his person. "Don't touch me." He bristles, shaking his shoulders.

0.o.0.o.0

Edward opens the front door to their apartment and kicks the door open wide with his foot.

"We're home Hohenhiem!" Edward announces from the doorway.

The neighbors probably didn't give a rats ass that they were home, but Edward was merely wondering if Hohenhiem was home or not.

And apparently he wasn't home, because silence was the only thing residing in their apartment.

So taking three long strides Edward walks into their large apartment and throws his sweater onto the marble stone counter top with a sigh. "We need to find Edward a litter box if he's gonna stay here." Edward states, he soon wrinkles his nose in disgust at the sentence. "Can't you name it something else? It's weird saying your own name! Not to mention that I didn't even want to be considered in the same category as a damn feline!" Edward snaps. Walking to the fridge and grabbing the nearest thing to eat, which was an apple, and bit into it hard without hesitation.

The tasty juices falling from the corner of his mouth and down his lips, which then slid down his lips to his chin, he cleaned the juices away by licking his lips with a hum.

Ling pretended not to notice the lip licking as he continues to walk around the apartment in awe, he didn't realize how rich Edward's father was, their apartment was roomy, not to mention it looked expensive as hell. He actually thought they were living in the normal side of the neighborhood, considering the way Edward and Alphonse dress, which was casual and comfortable, but apparently he was wrong, their father must be working for some big dealership company of some kind. Because everything inside that apartment looked up to date with the latest styles and trends, to their funiture, the enterior desgins, to the electricity. They had a small crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of their living room!

"Sweet bachelor pad." Ling states in appreciation. He soon quirks his eyebrow when he noticed no one else inside the apartment. "Where's your dad?" Ling pipes up from the corner of the living room, admiring the large expanse of leather couches.

"He's not my dad." Edward snaps wryly from the corner of the kitchen counter. He sat right on top of the marble stone counter beside the sink, still eating happily on his apple.

"Edward!" Alphonse hisses, sending Edward a look that clearly read "Not now" As he shot Ling the same look, when the teenager had his back turned to him.

Edward only rolls his eyes in passion and bites into the apple hard as he kicks his feet merrily in the air. "Whatever. I call him Hohenhiem. Be free to call him bastard just like Envy does." Edward states unabashed, but soon chokes on his apple and dryly swallows the bite whole. He didn't mean to bring up the Envy thing in front of Ling. Now he was just going to be questioned by him and—

"Envy? He was here?" Ling asks pointing around the room as he furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion. "In _here_?" He gestures again around the apartment. Incredulously.

_'Yep'_. Edward thought, he knew was right. _'Ling would probably judge me about bringing Envy home just like my so called "father"…But nothing is going on between me and that werido damn it! Why can't people just leave their fucking noses out of the shit I do? Everything doesn't always have a double meaning with me!'_

Instead of voicing those thoughts, Edward merely smacks his lips together loudly, and lewdly, after he finishes his apple and jumps off of the counter top and heads over to the silver trash can beside the counter casually.

"Yeah, he was here. Dropping me and Alphonse off after we got ditched by the bus. So what?" He asks humourlessly, dropping the apple into the bin and turning his head over his shoulder empathetically. "Then he left." He states, quirking an eyebrow. "Is that such a bad thing? He practically followed us home. And like hell did I want him here, but he walked in anyways." Edward lies casually as he cocks his hip to the side and folds his arms over his chest.

Ling merely looks away with a small frown. "I don't care what the asshole does." Ling argues, glaring at the poor table—that would soon combust into flames if he stared any longer. "I'm just surprised, not like I care or anything." Ling states, then he smiles coyly at the short blonde-haired teen.

Who in turn, pouts and glares heatedly right back at him, daring him to say something apparently, by how hard Edward was glaring at him.

"Unless, you want me to care about what you do Ed?" Ling soon purrs, casually leaning against the leather couch that is situated beside him in the living room.

Edward gulps at the tone, but soon shrugs it off with a scoff. "Yeah, whatever. So, tea or what?" He grumbles, going over to the kettle and running the tap water.

Making sure to hide his face the whole time as he tried his harder to make the biggest racket he can as he kicks things in his way, and kicks things to get them to open and shut close. And also paying attention to everything around him, just so he wouldn't lay eyes on Ling.

0.o.0.o.0

Edward that night—after getting word from Hohenhiem that he would be home soon—kicked Ling out, and so far that night was turning out to be uneventful.

Edward has been staying up half the night, worry about whether or not Envy would be showing up out of no where, and waiting to give him that surprise that strange teenager had been blabbering about inside the hallways of the school. Envy said that he had a surprise for him, and that he was going to give it to him that night...

And damn did that sound so wrong in his ears.

_'Not to mention that every student nearby us probably over-heard too...' _Edward thought with a silent groan escaping his lips.

The teen soon rolls over in bed and faces the balcony doors beside him. Peeking his eyes open, he saw the light of the full moon shining in through the tiny slit of the curtains. He gets up from his bed not a minute later and walks towards his balcony to open the curtains wide, so now he has the view of the city lights, the bright moon, and the clear night sky. It was still breathtaking, even when he couldn't see the lights of the city, it still made him feel excited knowing that he was in a large city, and Los Angeles at that.

_'I still haven't been everywhere in L.A…I hadn't gotten to see much either. And it's still weird that I'm living somewhere else either than Phoenix…I wonder how Granny and Winry are doing? Damn it...I keep forgetting to call them before I go to bed.' _Edward thought, frowning at his forgetfulness as he laid his hands on the window, then soon he sighs and walks back to his bed to lay down.

So far for the past few days or so, he and Alphonse have both been calling Winry and their Granny every day for the past few days, just to simply talk to them, to make sure they were okay, and to say that everything was fine, and that were doing well in school.

And of course, Edward would always tell them that each day has been boring for him, and nothing at all is new.

Even though that was a lie…

Edward still couldn't wrap his head around Ling and Envy. Why they kept sticking to him like glue, and wondering what the hell made him so interesting to them? They couldn't possibly be _that_ interested in his life. What could be their reasons behind the fact that they always wanted to hang out with him?

_'And again, I'm still thinking about them…' _Edward thought with a frown. _'I should just fucking forget about them, and just keep doing what I do best. Act like everything is okay. Even though I feel like I can't trust them both.'_

Edward scowls at that thought and sighs heavily in frustration. He was getting a headache from thinking too much. Also, the room was suddenly getting hotter in temperature and he was starting to feel smothered.

So he gets up with a light groan and walks to the balcony doors once again, curiously peeking over his shoulder to look towards his sleeping brother on the other side of the room, including the cat currently bundled up warm at Alphonse's feet, he nods his head and slowly flicks open the switch of the lock, and lightly he begins to open the balcony's sliding door with a quiet hiss.

Once he opens the balcony door, he was hit instantly with cool night air and with a dreamy intake of wind, he steps fully out of the threshold of the doorway, to the balcony. He slides the door closed behind him carefully, and walks over to the ledge of the balcony, and presses his warm flesh against the cool steel railings. The railings were like ice compared to his skin, it tingled his arms and legs and he couldn't help but shiver at the touch.

He looks back down to the city's lights, and smiles small at the sight, the lights were everywhere in the city, excitement was starting to bubble up inside him and blossom up into his chest until his heart beat began to beat wildly against his chest in anticipation.

He looks down towards their apartment building, wondering just how far they were from the hard cement ground below, but when something caught his attention he narrows his eyes down further in confusion.

He thought he saw a black figure slip pass the steel gates situated all the way around their apartment building, and then a thought suddenly occured to him. _'Envy was going to give me a surprise...' _He shakes his head from those thoughts. "He wouldn't come here, he can't remember where I live." He whispers to himself as he sighs heavily in irritation at his own thoughts.

Two guys, who were annoying and scheming, were suddenly thrust into his life, and Edward could feel this helplessness reside inside him, and he felt the control he had on hi slife, slowly slip through his fingers like sand. Envy and Ling, they would both continue to bug him, they were still going to do what they wanted do, whether Edward liked it or not.

And Edward could stand there and take it.

Or he could be the bigger man, and talked to them himself.

He could walk right up to them, or walk to them seperately, and speak exactly what was on his mind, and make them stop being so scheming, and just make them confess on why they seem so interested in him.

"Like real friends would do…" he whispers. He drops his head into both his arms that are cradled against the balcony railings and sighs under his breath.

He felt like he hadn't had a friend in years, the only people he could ever trust are Alphonse, Winry and Granny.

He also had someone else he could trust...A best friend in fact. But he had no idea where he was...Where he lives...Or where exactly he had gone, after he had left Arizona entirely.

_'You didn't even tell me where you were going, you idiot...' _Edward thought, glancing back down to the city lights.

The last friend he had was back in Phoenix, when he was just a 12-year-old kid. And the last friend he had was named—

"Pipsqueak! Hey short stack!"

Edward growls in disdain and snaps his head down from his balcony. "I am not short you bastard!" He roars down, but blinks in realization that he just shouted at a complete stranger.

"Yeah you are! You bean sprout!" Shouts the stranger.

Edward sighs heavily and peers down closer to the dark form below his balcony, he easily recognized that voice, and it could only belong to Envy.

"What're you doing here Envy?" He shouts in exasperation, hoping beyond all hope that Alphonse didn't hear him, and hoping that Al was still the heavy sleeper he knew from childhood.

And also hoping that Envy wasn't here to give him that damn surprise.

"I'm here to give you that surprise chibi-chump! Did you forget already?" Snaps Envy from below.

Edward feels his hackles rise at the nickname and he growls under his breath. "I'm going down there to meet you, so don't go anywhere, you ass!" He shouts.

"Then hurry the fuck up! Did you notice? Its fucking cold out brat!"

"Shut up!" Edward roars back as he turns swiftly on his heel and goes striding back inside his bedroom.

But he makes sure he closed the balcony door quietly behind him before he tip-toes towards his dresser and starts rummaging through the drawers for jeans, socks, and his black and white sweater. After he picks out his choice of wardrobe for the night, he goes to the foot of his bed and shrugs on his sweater in a hurry, he forgot to put on a t-shirt, but he really didn't give a rats ass, because it wasn't as cold as Envy made it sound.

As he silently stalks through the room to their bedroom door, sneakily he starts opening the door and shuts it quietly behind him, then tip-toes down the hallway of their apartment until finally, he was out the front door and out of the apartment completely.

He sighs heavily in relief, and double-checks his pants pocket for his keys, when he felt them in his sweater poclet instead, he nods his head and swiftly he takes a turn down the right hand hallway and strides his way over to the elevator doors located on the other side of the hallway.

He hated himself for what he was willingly doing for the sake of that weirdo. He knew he was wasting his time on the guy, but he didn't know exactly why he was doing it...It was Envy for Christ sake, his name alone shouldn't have made Edward jump out of bed the second he was beckoned and follow him along like a faithful pet dog.

_'Why do I always do that? I always give into their fucking demands! I'm only encouraging them!'_ Edward harshly scolds himself inside his head.

He balls his hands into fists at his sides as he briskly walks into the elevator doors and practically punches the "L" button and watches as the elevator doors close before him silently.

He looks down at his sneakers with a heavy sigh escaping his lips. _'After he gives me my 'surprise' I'm going to ignore the both of them from now on. Yep. I will. Well…Not ignore them completely…They'll only stalk me and pressure me to talk to them…Damn it! I'm just going to have to talk to the both of them separately! Demand for answers and ask them why they're both so interested in my fucking life!' _With that thought fresh in his mind, he makes sure to do just that the first thing tomorrow.

And just to make himself feel better, he kicks over a trash can by his foot as he walks out of the elevator doors.

* * *

_I'm back bitches! XD_

_Sorry if this chapter took FIVE EVER! (because forever isn't long enough) to post! I'm so terribly sorry! But reviews and comments are always welcomed :) The 8th chapter to this story of mine, is much much longer...So very long..._

_Anyways!_

_I would like to thank EVERYONE who has FFR'd (Favorite, Follow, Review) 'd :)_

_Also, sorry if you see any mistakes, I tried people, but if you manage to see a few spelling mistakes or error's in sentences, then I'm so very sorry. And I would need to call in a beta if you see anymore spelling mistakes -.-_

_-Hella_


	8. Bittersweet

**Chapter 8: Bittersweet.**

Edward walks out the front doors of their apartment building and the first thing he's greeted with, was the sight of Envy sitting on one of the apartment buildings potted plants, with his legs crossed, as he inspects his long strands of dark green colored hair that is being held in two of his finger in disinterest, as he hums a tune under his breath.

A tune that Edward didn't bother to recognize as he quickly made his presence known by slamming the front door to the building shut with a hard and heavy slam.

Envy flinches at the loud noise, and turns to glare heatedly over his shoulder at Edward. "You're so noisy for someone your height runt." Envy sneers.

Edward scowls deeply at the quip and crosses his arms over his chest with a quirk of his eyebrow. "Shut up, just hurry up and give me what you got, so I can go back to sleep." He deadpans sternly in a no nonesense manner.

"Your hair doesn't look messy." The long-haired teen states unabashed.

Edward furrows his eyebrows together in confusion and cocks his hip to the side. "Gee, thanks." He says, rolling his eyes. "What the hell does that mean?" He asks suspiciously.

Envy gets up from the potted plant, and inspects Edward further. "If you were really tired, and if you just got out of bed," Envy began, circling Edward's entire form. "Your hair would look messy, and you're clothes are neat and fresh, they wouldn't look that neat if you had just woke up. In fact, you would look like a bum right now, but you don't." Envy explained thoroughly as he then faces Edward once again, and peers closer into Edward's eyes and scowling face.

Ency noticed how Edward's eyes held such mistrust, suspicion, and caution within them, anyone would be able to notice that look of mistrust when facing him completely.

"If you asked me runt, you were awake long before I even came here, by how neat your hair and clothes are." Envy finishes, sneering fully at the bemused and perplexed looking teenager standing before him.

Edward gulps and flips his pony-tail over his shoulder uncomfortably. _'How the hell would he know that? Was he always this analytical about these things?' _Edward thought furiously.

But then shakes his head and shrugs his shoulder uncaringly. "Whatever, I was awake. So what? I have a shitty night of sleep, happens all the time. So tell me what my surprise is, so we can both go back to sleep." Edward demands sternly.

Envy shakes his head with an irritated sounding sigh escaping his lips. "You're so insecure brat that it pisses me off." He states flately.

Edward's eyes widen in surprise at the announcement.

"You try so hard to look, and act, strong and to carry this air of confidence—or whatever the hell you're trying for—that I can clearly see right through your act. You're so insecure, your body language says it all, your eyes give away all that your thinking, and you're trying hard to hide this fact. So why bother trying to hide it from me?" He asks, flicking the shorter teenager in his forehead with a frown pressed firm on his face. "Who, or what, made you change and act that way?" He snorts, folding his arms over his chest.

Edward's arms fall to his sides as his eyes go uncharacteristically wide in shock, he simply stares straight ahead and into Envy's eyes in such surprise, that no words were able to form inside his head, or come out of his mouth.

Envy had just guessed everything that he did in life, what he continues to do in life, because someone made him this way. Unable to trust people, unable to fully trust people in order to show his true thoughts, and his true feelings.

But the question was, how did Envy know all that? How was he able to just guess exactly what Edward himself was trying to do?

Did he let his guard down? Or was he always that readable?

His mistrust in people, his behavior, all of it changed because of one person. That was his whole reason for the problems he faces today in people, how he tries to hide everything away, how he felt, how he thought of the world, everything. And how he tries hard just to ignore the people around him and escape from Ling and Envy both.

And Envy, motherfucking _Envy_ was the one who guessed it all and he was right on the fucking dot.

"Wh-what do you want Envy?" Edward tries to mask his panic and fright by raising his voice, trying hard to convery his superiority.

But it all but crumbles away when Envy merely rolls his eyes in passion and takes a casual step forward and into Edward's personal space. "To talk."

Edward growls. "About what?"

"You."

Edward felt his shoulders shrink at the statement, but he inhales deeply and hold his head up high. "Why? And about what?"

"I don't know, about the weather? About the wind that's freezing my nuts off?" Envy rolls his eyes a second time as he smirks down at a puzzled chibi. "I wanna talk about anything and everything. It's been a while since I talked to anyone but my sister Lust." Envy explains with an un-caring and casual shrug of his shoulders as he spins on his heel and begins to walk up ahead from Edward. "Plus I wanna show you around L.A. Seems like you need a break from school already." Envy pipes up.

Edward scowls and snaps inside his head. _'And guess who's fault is that?'_

Envy turns his head over his shoulder not ten seconds later, to see that Edward was still standing further behind, still standing by the doors of the apartment building with questionable and wary look in his eyes.

He sighs at the look and turns around again. "Well come on then! I don't have all fucking night brat!" He snaps, crossing his arms firmly over his chest as he waits for Edward to snap into action from the insult he knew the runt oh so despised.

A quip that got Edward scowling deeper once again as he starts stomping towards him with a heated remark of:

"Fuck you Envy."

Envy merely sneers at the quip, turns back around, and once he knew that Edward was following alone beside him, they both walk away into the night and away from the apartment building altogether.

Edward looks around themselves with cautious and wary glances as he watches everything that so much as moved an inch around them. He knew his way back to his father's apartment now, but he had no idea where he was going with Envy, or knew where exactly to go inside Los Angeles. He knew he could get lost without so much as blinking an eye. He knew that their apartment building was just a stone throw away from L.A's bustling and busy city life, just head down a couple of blocks, and they would be faced with the entire city lights and all of the attractions.

But he still felt nervous walking around, especially with Envy at his side.

"Where are we going?" Edward soon asks after a couple minutes of awkward silence.

Envy looks over his shoulder with an un-hidden smirk of confidence. "The Devils Nest." He announces with an eager sneer.

Edward gulps nervously, but nods his head all the same. "Where ever that is." He replies easily. He notices how his voice hitched at the end. He was now completely skeptical and nervous around Envy, who knew the guys would be such a mind reader, and really good at reading people at that...

Not just people, but good at reading _him?_ Edward was unreadable as much as he knew, and he personally titled himself in other peoples eyes as "Unpredictable".

So how was it that Envy had managed to see through all his masks, and find out about just the little-est of flaws in his body language?

Edward shivers involuntarily. _'Whatever he had going on…It's just a little creepy that someone like HIM can read me. I guess I have to be able to read Envy better than he can read me, just so I don't give him the upper-hand in this. Well, whatever THIS is.' _Edward thought, hand pressed to his chin.

"What you thinking about so hard?" Envy asks casually, looking at each street sign they pass by as they cross streets and dodge the late night drivers easily.

"None of your business." Edward hurriedly snaps from behind Envy as he manages to jump over a puddle on the sidewalk.

Envy rolls his eyes at the answer and stops Edward by grabbing onto his black clad shoulder and spins him around completely.

To stare deep into the golden eyes of Edward with his own anaylitical purple eyes, and smirks at the blush he saw spreading it's away across the runt's face. "I told you that I can see through your mask, I know when you're lying too, so why do you still bother to try and hide it all? It's useless just so you know, and not to mention it's idiotic at this point pipsqueak." Envy sneers, letting go of the small shoulder he held firmly in place with his hand. "My bike is just around the corner, so hurry up before someone tries to steal it." He states, pushes the teen forward with a dark chuckle.

Edward quirks an eyebrow as he hurriedly follows behind Envy. "Bike? What're you going to do? Give me a ride on your seat as you peddle to some place called the Devils Nest?" He replies mockingly, a smirk stretched across his face at the thought.

Envy bursts out laughing at that remark and slaps his knee. "You're so stupid, its funny!" He replies. He turns his head over his shoulder as he caught the scowling expression on Edward's face, he pulls his hand out from his jeans pocket and jingles a set of keys on a chain in front of the confused expression of Edward. "My 'bike' as in my _motorobike, _dip-shit." He sneers at the surprised expression.

After rounding a corner just as Envy said it was located, Edward felt his jaw slacken and fall to a gape as he caught site of Envy's motorbike. "Holy shiiiiiit..." Edward drags out.

Damn was it a nice bike, Ed didn't know much about motorbikes, or their performance, but he did know that he liked the color of Envy's bike. A pure and a very deep color of red, like blood, but in Edward's opinion, more beautiful. The bike had shiny black rims on each of the two tires, and white letters on the side saying "1250", whatever that meant.

Envy sighs wistfully at his beautiful bike as he walks towards it, and lays a delicate hand on top of the pure black leather seat. "She's beautiful isn't she? The newest model, a 2012 Suzuki Bandit, the performance is great, real smooth ride, shit load of power for when I really wanna gun it down the streets, and you can tell I'm dumbing it down for you because...Well...The dumb look on you're face says that you know jack-shit about bokes." Envy states, smirking at the expression he gets from Edward at that little retort.

"Shut up." Edward snips. "Okay, I admit it, I suck when it comes to knowing about electronics and shit like that. Just tell me anyways so I can remember it in the near future." Edward states as he walks to the side of the red bike and looks at each little craft and detail the bike had to offer.

And Envy was right, he didn't know jack-shit, because when Envy began explaining every little detail of the bike, down to it's manufactureers, he got a blank look in his eyes and began staring off into the distance.

"This is the 1250 Bandit model, originally released in 1996, but I got the 2012 model instead for its higher specification suspension and larger diameter front brake discs. Also for its 1250 bandit featured hydraulic clutch, side panels, a height adjustable seat, including back-seat—so it suites YOUR tiny height runt—" Envy just had to add with a sneer. "—Secondary Balancer Shaft for a smoother ride, an engine cooler so I don't burn my fucking stomach driving this thing around, and—Your not even listening anymore asshole!—" Envy soon shouts once he noticed the far-away look in Edward's glazed over eyes as the runt stared at nothing in particular.

But at his bikes jet black rims on his front tire.

Edward blinks out of his thoughts, finally noticing that Envy was talking to him, and NOT in fan-crazy-motorbike-mode. "I told you I don't know shit! You should've just dumbed it down to my standards." Edward argues.

"I did the best I could! You're just an idiot pipsqueak!" Envy snarls back.

Edward glares heatedly and points to the bike. "What are we doing standing here and arguing anyways? Show me were the damn Devil's House, or whatever the fuck you just called it1" Edward roars as he waves his hands around in the air in frustration.

Envy still had a scowl on his face, but said nothing more on the matter as he then pulls a sleek black helmet off of the handle-bars of his bike and tosses it to Edward, who catches it without hesitation. "Hop on the back-seat, I already adjusted the seat for your tiny ass." Envy states, smirking over his shoulder when he threw his leg over the side and sits down fully onto the bikes leather seat.

Edward felt an embarassed blush trying to creep up on his features, but he pushes it back down as he pulls the helmet over his head and stomps his way to the back-seat, directly behin dEnvy, and sits down with a hard plop.

The bike teeters sideway before Envy quickly catches his balance with the help of the bikes kick-stand that was still planted firmly on the asphalt on the edge of the sidewalk.

"Take it easy brat!" Envy shouts over his shoulder. "You could've damaged my fucking bike, and I would've _forced you _to pay for the repairs!" Envy shouts with a heated glare of annoyance.

Edward only rolls his eye passionately as he brings his hands to his sides and holds tightly onto the side of his seat. Ignoring Envy completely as he waits for the teenager to start up the bikes engine.

Which Envy did right after his little warning to Edward.

The long-haired teenager sticks the keys into the bikes ignition, grabs the blutch, turns it around sharply and relishes in the powerful roar of the engine revving to life.

Envy couldn't hold back his feral grin as he sinisterly glances over his shoulder with a sneer.

Looks to the horrified expression of Edward's, who was now clutching onto him for dear life.

And Envy kicked the bike's kick-stand off the asphalt, and they all but roared forward in a cloud of exhaust and burnt smell of tire smoke on smoking asphalt.

Edward surges forward with a loud and terrified scream rips right through the night air and rings harshly inside Envy's poor ears.

0.o.0.o.0

"Jesus Christ brat…" Envy grumbles as he sticks a finger inside his ear and wiggles the digit around to relieve him of the ringing still going on inside his head. "Warn me the next time you plan on screaming your lungs out." He hisses as he fixates his glare onto Edward's turn back. Watching in disinterest as Edward clutches his knees for support as he takes in large amounts of air.

"No one…Told you…To go zooming down the streets at 100 miles per hour!" Edward manages to retort in-between gasping and huffing.

Envy merely rolls his eyes in passion as he thumbs over his shoulder towards the building behind him. "Whatever, I barely went over 90, so be grateful runt." Envy scoffs. "Besides, we made it here before closing time, and without so much as a bruise or scratch, so I say I did a pretty good job tonight." Envy informs Edward with a gleeful smirk.

Edward jaw falls open in shock. "You mean…I just risk my life…Riding in back of this death machine, and you barely know how to drive it?" Edward shouts incredulously.

Envy shrugs uncaringly. "Yeah, I got us here though. So I did good, let's leave it at that." Envy smirks. Shoving his pure black helmet onto the handle-bars once again on his motorbike, he began to walk into the direction of the bar behind him.

That's when Edward finally noticed that they were at a bar.

Over Envy's messy head of long green hair, the bar held a sign that read: _"The Devil's Nest" _In bright red and messy writing as flashing golden light bulbs around the sign flashed and blinked for the customers attention.

The bar looked good up-front, it had an old type of feel to it, with all the wood and old school signs hanging on the face of the bar. And it even had a porch where smokers could stop drinking, go outside, and light up their cigarettes. And the bar also had a big burly bouncer standing in front of the bars entry way, the bouncer wore a deep scowl on his face as he crossed his arms over his big muscular chest as he held his head up high, trying hard to look intimidating.

Which wasn't so hard, considering his monstrous height.

The man's heigh made Edward want to curl up in a ball in submission and hold his knees for protection.

And he couldn't help but _gape _at Envy, who strolled up to the bouncer and slapped him on the shoulder blade with a big maniac kind of grin stretched across his face as he said:

"Move it." To the bouncer.

Who only nods his head as he easily steps aside.

Edward held a hand out towards Envy in surprise. "W-wait! Envy! You can't just walk—"

"You coming or what brat? 'Cause if not, then just stand right by my bike and keep an eye on it." Envy calls from over his shoulder. He smirks at the blonde-haired teenager, who only continues to scowl deeply at him, he actually smiles at the brat, who quickly strides over towards him from where he stood by the doorway of the bar, holding the door open.

"I'm not allowed in a bar Envy. I'm only fifteen-fucking-years-old." Edward informs the teen as he hisses his age under his breath.

Envy shrugs and holds the door open wider. "You made it through the doors kiddo, I say you're already half way there inside the bar." Envy states casually. "And no one even asked to see your I.D yet, no one is even looking at you like you don't belong here either, and no one ever _will_ as long as you stay by my side, and try not to start a fight with any of the locals." Envy announces with a smirk. "You'll find your ass being handed back to you if you try by the way, either your ass will be kicked, or you'll get shot." Envy warns just as he grabs the shorter teenager by his white sweater sleeve as he starts weaving the both of them through the crowded and noisy bar, zigzagging through the swaying bodyies of the many drunks lined all around the bar.

The long-haired teenager cringes at the sight of the many drunken adults, and weaves passed several dancing bodies on the crowded dance floor, he ducks just in time underneath a waitresses steel serving tray with practiced ease.

Meanwhile behind Envy, Edward was still trying hard no to lose Envy's hand and hair amongst the moving, swaying, hurling, and dancing bodies of the entire crowd that filled the entire layout of the bar.

In every direction he could see people yelling, laughing, shouting out profanties, and people just plain ol' passed out on tables, with people trying hard to wake them up, or throw them out as they shout out two simple words of: "Last call!"

Edward spitefully glares at the back of Envy's head for the simple reason that he was just too used to these sorts of surroundings, and for the fact that he could easily dodge all of the drunk people with ease, walking through the bar as though he was taking a stroll in a park.

He wasn't even banging into people like he is doing, Envy didn't get beer or any type of alcoholic drink spilt on him, like he has on his sweaters used to be pure white sleeve, and Envy certianly didn't get glares, or car-calls thrown at him from every direction, like he has been getting by the many drunk women, and even few of the men who probably had mistaken him for being a girl.

Considering that he chose to wear his "too-tight-skinny-jeans" that night, including his long blonde hair, which is pulled into a tight pony-tail behind his head at the moment as it bounces with each step he takes.

Oh, and because he was being pulled along by the sleeve of his sweater by another boy for that matter.

No wonder the men would think of him as a girl at that very moment.

_'Great, were both going to get hit-on all night by drunk old geezers, or tried to get picked up by a couple of horny cougars.'_ Edward thought begrudgingly inside his head as he glares at each of the leering gazes he's currently receiving by many of the drunken on-lookers. _'God this is embarrassing, what am I doing in this place anyways? I should've just turned around and left Envy! Fuck his surprise, fuck this bar, fuck his friendship, I need to get out of here!'_

"If you're planning on turning around and leaving me behind in this dump, you got another thing coming to ya runt. I'll make sure Jumbo out there throws your ass around before you go anywhere." Edward hears Envy shout from over his shoulder at him.

He also manages to catch the animalistic sneer Envy shot at him from over his shoulder.

The kind of smile that made Edward growl lowly in his throat for, but he said no words of protest to the older teenager other wise. He just let himself get dragged around by Envy until they finally chose a spot to sit down.

Which Envy's choice of surrounding was inside a big red booth with two candle sitting on top of the round table held together inside of two glass encasings, and with a big red curtain surrounding their booth, and away from leering and prying eyes.

They are now completely alone, just the two of them, inside a big red booth that looked appropriate for a strip club, and with little to no lighting at all, except for the small light glow of the two candles on top of—and in the center of—the round table.

With loud thumping music blasting throughout the entire bar.

"Envy..." Edward finally pipes up after many minutes of keeping quiet. He looks at Envy right in his eyes as he worries his lip with his teeth. "I don't know what we're doing here…But I'm not going to drink if that's what you brought me here for." He informs the teenager sternly. "And I'm not going to start any time soon." Edward quips, his facial expression truthful and serious.

For once, he was telling Envy the truth of what he actually felt. Even when his mind is currently screaming at him to just turn around and leave the bar entirely, whether Envy liked it or not.

At that truthful sounding statement, it made Envy blink a couple of incredulous times, before a smirk slowly spread it's way across his face as he props up an arm on the table and rests his chin in the center of his palm.

"Look chibi, I told you before that I only want to talk, I didn't drag you through this bar, just to get you hammered and leave you behind. I came here to sit down at my favorite bar, probably have a couple drinks myself, and talk." Envy easily states. He flicks his eyes over to the short blonde-haired teenager, who is still standing across from him inside the booth, and when he smirks at Edward, the short teen only looks away with an uncomfortable look seen in his expression.

Envy then waves his hand at a passing by waitress and easily catches her attention as she stops in mid-step, and with a spin of her heel, the waitress faces them completely with an obviously fake smile stretching widely across her pretty face.

Envy inwardly cringes at the amount of make-up the girl had on, she would look much better without it, because right now, the waitress wasn't impressing no one with how slutty her make-up made her look. Actually, to Envy she resembled more of a drag-queen than a whore at the moment.

Edward reluctantly takes a seat across from Envy just as the waitress stops at their table, holding a serving tray in one hand, while she held a pen inside her other, with a smile stretched across her face.

"What would it be tonight, Envy?" She asks casually, like she has done on many occasions.

Which made Edward think that that was actually true, and when he hears Envy's answer in such a deadpan and serious voice.

And Edward was stunned stupid when Envy flicked his wrist, and hands the waitress a ten dollar bill and sticks it inside her _cleavage_, which was barely hidden underneath the skin-tight plain white blouse she chose to wear.

Edward felt his face flush further when the girl only giggles happily at the ten tucked between her boobs, as she then turns her attention down to him with a smile.

"And what do you want?" She asks happily.

"A-a…Coke…?" He states dubiously, he had no clue if they served soda drinks at a bar of all places.

And he _really _starts to feel stupid for asking something like that.

"Coke? You a sober driver tonight?" She asks in curiosity with her blonde head tilted to the side and with a small smile on her face.

Edward shakes his head with a small smile. "No, I'm...Only fifteen." He answers, leaning forward and towards the waitress to whisper his age.

Edward scowls in open resentment when all he hears from Envy's side of the table, was him laughing at his expense.

The waitress, not knowing what else to say at that statement, quickly writes down their drink orders in her small notebook, and with another smile directed at Envy she giggles and announces happily. "I'll be right back with your drinks." She turns on her heel, and begins her journey across the bar.

Envy scoffs at the ditsy drag-queen waitress and rests his arm on the table top, he brings his leg up to rest on the red leather booth underneath his ass and slings his other arm around his leg for support. "She worked here for two years, and already she talking to me like she fucking knows me. Bitch, I don't even know her name." Envy mumbles as he glares heatedly at the entryway of their little booth.

He expected her to pop her head in through the red curtain with another one of her fake smiles.

Edward sputters at the insult, momentarily glad he didn't have a drink inside his mouth at the time, and scowls at Envy across from him. "You can't just call her a bitch like that. She seems like a nice person, she might have a fake smile, but that's only because it's her job to have a smile on her face while she makes small talk to customers. Maybe she's actually a hard ass underneath it all." Edward quickly defends the blonde waitress.

She really did seem like a nice person all in all, give or take from the flirtatious giggles and the fact that Envy just handed her his money by shoving the bill in-between her perky boobs.

Yeah he just said the waitress' boobs were perky, sue him, he's a _guy_ after all.

Envy snorts loudly and slaps both his arms on the table as he turns and faces the teenager across from him completely. "Sounds to me that Mr. Elric wants the waitress for a girlfriend." He states unabashed, he soon smiles wickedly at the incredulous expression on Edward's blushing face.

"No. I'm defending her because no girl deserves to be called a bitch for doing her job." Edward tries to defend himself as he replaces the incredulous stare with a firm scowl. "That's all." Edward explaines, removing his piercing glare from Envy's eyes and directs his attention out towards the deep red curtains towards the bar.

Where he then notices that the bar's customers doubled greatly in size since he last saw them, he saw many more people than before.

"So runt—"

"I'm not short! Don't call me a runt! A Brat! A shorty! Or a—"

"—Okay, okay! Sheesh!" Envy calms sarcastically. "Get pissy..." Envy mumbles sardonically as he replaces his frown with a small smirk and rests his chin back in his hands as he turns his head to Edward once again. "So, Ed. How do you like L.A Central High so far?" He asks casually.

Edward still doesn't trust Envy one bit, even if it the question the teenager asked was a simple one, Envy's words always seemed to hold a double meaning in them. And he didn't know how to answer them if they did, either he takes his time in answering the crazy-palm-tree-lookalike, or tell him a complete lie.

But with a casual shrug, Edward turns his golden eyes towards the red curtains of the booth once again and props his arm up on the table to hold his head. "It's alright, the teachers are morons, but their classes are easy. The studen'ts are annoying as hell, but it's alright." He states with a shrug.

Envy smirks at the answer he recieved. "Is ding-a-Ling giving you a hard time?" He mocks as he sticks his tongue out at the disgruntled teen before him.

And the sight of his tongue seems to have caught Edward's attention.

Edward felt his eyes widen in surprise at the quick flash of silver he caught on Envy's tonue. He whips his head in Envy's direction once again and moves closer towards the teenager involuntarily. "Is that a tongue ring? Can I see?" He asks curiously.

Body piercing's were always cool to him, and he always wanted to get one.

But Alphonse—the mom that his brother is—is still completely against piercings, tattoos, and even hair dye. He always called it, "Defiling the body you were blessed with."

But Edward merely called it, "Cool and something to completely die over."

Envy raises an eyebrow at the question, but didn't object to it as he slowly sticks his tongue out again.

Edward can feel a pang of jealousy as he sees the glowing silver piercing pinned inside the tongue of Envy. He still wanted one. Oh God how he wanted a piercing, any kind, as long as Al didn't see it any time soon, or later on in the future.

When the tongue slips back inside Envy's mouth, Edward felt a sudden disappointment run through him. He wanted to stare at it longer and admire the silver piercing a bit more.

"Satisfied? Or do you want to stare at my tongue all night?" Envy states mischeviously in a low and husky voice, then smirks at the shorter teen when Edward flicks his eyes to his face with a bright blush staining across his face.

And when Edward finally looked up, he suddenly realizes just how close he has gotten towards Envy, just to see his tongue ring. He blushes in embarassment when he notices that his fae was merely inches away from Envy's nose at very intimate distance.

Edward jumps backwards inside his seat and bangs his back against the red leather boote with a painful thump, he hisses in pain and rubs his head sheepishly.

"Uh…Sorry." He apologizes meekily.

For the sake of not knowing what else to say for the accidental close proximity they were in.

Envy felt a trickle of disappointment lick the back of his spine, but he quickly shakes the feeling away by snorting aloud and looking away from the blushing blonde teen. "Whatever." He deadpans with a shrug.

The waitress who took their drink orders finally comes back, with another flirtatious smile on her face as usual.

Edward notices right away, that her white blouse has been opened by one button, right by her boobs and she was now showing off what she had to offer for the both of them inside the booth.

"Beer for Envy, and a tickled coke for the cutey." She practically squeals in delight as she serves them both their drinks, but before she leaves, she winks down at the short blonde-haired boy at the booth and giggles triumphantly when the blonde only smiles at her in embarassment as he thanked her. She decided right then and there that he was adorable, yet undeniably beautiful. She turns with a graceful spin in her step and sways her hips seductively as she walks through the throng of people crowded inside the bar.

Edward—oblivious to the flirting waitress—pulls the coke to his lips and without hesitation, drinks nearly half of the whole thing.

Envy holds back his snickering by holding the beer bottle to his lips and taking longer a shot than necessary. He was simply watching as the short blonde teen smacks his lips in delight with curiosity easily seen glowing inside his golden eyes.

Envy decides to say nothing about the coke, or about its contents as he takes another long swig from his tall glass of beer.

_'Won't this be fun?'_ Envy inwardly sneers in triumph as he holds back another lauging fit by pulling the bottle back to his smirking lips, he was merely taking small sips from his own drink at that point. Unlike his shorter, younger latter, who claimed wasn't going to drink that night, he still had to drive him and the brat home. So after his first glass of beer, everything he orders after that is going to be virgin everything.

"This is really good!" Edward nearly shouts in excitement. "It tastes like vanilla or something." Edward muses with a small satisfied smile on his face as he smacks his lips together again and relishes in the small warmth he felt starting to seep inside his body.

The intoxicatingly delicious ingredients to him, almost tastes like a vanilla float, the kind he used to always get when he was younger.

It brought back happy memories whenever he takes sips, but soon he was getting tired of taking small sips, so he starts to take shots, but then those turn into full blown chugs.

It was just too good to put down. And he notices in slight disappointement that he would be needing another one sometime soon.

"Drink up, anything you order is on me." Envy states casually as he places his bottle back on the tables coaster. He hides away his devious smirk by holding a hand over his mouth and looking away.

Edward quirks an eyebrow up at the suddenly cooperative and compliant Envy. He soon shrugs it off and takes another shot of his coke.

_'If he's willing to pay for my drinks, then I'm good.' _Thought Edward with a small devious smirk.

He would then order plenty of more coke then after he was done with his first glass, as long as Envy was willing to pay—for the most likely fat bill—then he would be happy to oblige Envy's word.

"So why did you decide to move to L.A?" Envy suddenly asks.

Edward quirks an eyebrow, but shrugs his shoulders at the question. "My dad lives here, we were forced to move here after me and Alphonse couldn't pay the bills anymore." He explains with another casual shrug. "If I had a choice though, I wouldn't be here."

"L.A not exciting enough for ya?" Envy asks with a smirk. "'Cause you're so wrong if your thinking that."

Edward shakes his head. "L.A is alright, I guess. I haven't really seen much of L.A yet." He states truthfully as he takes another shot of his vanilla tasting coke.

Envy shrugs. "It's alright, once you ignore everything around you and focus on you. If you don't pay much attention to other people life seems more easier." He announces as he takes a small sip from his beer.

Edward wrinkles his brows in confusion. "Why do you say that?"

"People drag you down, well I think so. If you really focus on your own goals, you start thinking straighter." Envy replies.

Edward couldn't argue with that logic, that little information was actually quite true. So Edward smirks at Envy and points a finger directly in his face to change the touchy subject.

"So is that your natural hair color? Because it looks like moss is growing on your head." He laughs.

Envy scowls at him darkly and slaps Edward's pointer finger away. "Fuck you, I like this color. But this isn't my natural hair color, you _girl_, I dyed it." He argues. "Who brings up hair colors inside a bar? You an under cover chick or something?" Envy teases with a smirk.

Edward merely quirks an eyebrow and points his finger at Envy once again. "Why would you dye it that color? Were you purposely trying to look like a palm tree?"

"I like it damn it! So shut yer face!" Envy snaps.

0.o.0.o.0

"So, what to talk about now?" Edward announces after he finishes downing his fourth glass of his vanilla tasting coke, well, at least he thought it taste like vanilla, he could be mistaken, but he was happy to call it vanilla because of the delicious taste it left inside his mouth.

After about an hour of talking and drinking, Edward was actually surprised that he and Envy weren't getting into a fist fight or aruging. But he was still making sure to keep his guard up while around the questionable teenager, but he was beginning to think that Envy was the easiest one to talk to from between him and Ling.

Ling was just annoying.

But he was actually starting to enjoy his night with Envy. He found that it was easier to talk with the teen the more they sat and drank.

Well to be honest, Edward was finding him to be hilarious.

But Edward still wouldn't be caught dead, or alive, admitting that to anyone, let alone Envy himself.

Speaking of which, he was beginning to notice a change in Envy, the long-haired teen was looking more and more relaxed as the minutes ticked on by, and they were talking a lot more than usual.

They still had their moments where they would argue over nothing at all, but Edward found that he was enjoying their argument a bit more than usual.

And after a couple of more minutes passed by, they found themselves laughing at each others expense, and laughing at the other drunks inside the bar.

But soon, Edward started to notice that everything seems a lot more funnier than what they actually were, he felt funny too, like "ha-ha" funny, he really wanted to laugh.

And Envy was a good person to laugh with, because Ed found that he got most of Envy's jokes.

Except the jokes that had to do with sex.

He didn't get those jokes. Mostly because he still had virgin ears, and couldn't figure out what the hell a "Blumpkin" was.

He still didn't know, but he got the feeling that he shouldn't know, for the sake of the virgin ear society.

After a minute of silence slipping by, Envy notices that he's starting to feel a little light headed, and decides that after the glass in his hands, he wouldn't drink anymore. He's starting to feel a little tipsy and he was only on his fourth beer, he still had a runt to drive home, and doing it while he was drunk, wasn't such a good idea right now, so instead, he would just enjoy his time at the bar with the surprisingly easy to get along with, Edward Elric.

Edward he realizes was oblivious to his crude sex jokes. And that to Envy was even more hilarious, he was also beginning to think that after just a couple of tickled coke, Edward was becoming more and more open.

And so far, Envy had managed to pull out some information from the usually tight lipped runt, he knows that the Elric brothers had no choice but to move from Arizona Phoenix, because of their rent payment being over-do and everything, and that they couldn't support themselves with the little money they had left from their inheritance money, even with the many jobs both he and his brother had, they had lost the house in the end.

And he also figured out that Edward had a certain someone in his past that he didn't want to mention, now _that_ little bit of information got Envy curious. But being the perfect gentle man he is—claims to be—he isn't going to ask who it is, not until they both knew each-other like the back of their hands.

Envy still doesn't know the reason why he wanted to be friends with someone like Edward, maybe it's because Edward was pure, innocent, somewhat at least, and maybe its because he knew that Edward was capable of so much more.

And that to Envy was admirable in a person.

He also wants to become friends with Edward for the simple fact that he wouldn't have to be bored anymore with his life, it was going to change starting now, and the person to change it all if going to be Edward Elric.

Whether for better or worse, Edward was going to change it.

And Envy was looking forward to that day for a very long time, ever since his parents divorced and he was left with a life full of idle routines and meaningless moments.

"Hey…Envy…Didja hear me?" Edward pipes up from behind his glass of tickled coke.

Envy blinks out of his swarming thoughts and narrows his eyes at the tipsy looking teenager across from him at their small red booth. "You talking shit about me behind my back chibi-chump?" He accuses.

Of course he was only pretending to be pissed, but Edward didn't have to know that. He just wanted to see a little rise out of the blonde-haired teenager.

Who was looking, and acting, too mellow for his own good when he was supposed to be drinking.

Envy needed his hot-headed chibi-chump back.

Which of course, the long-haired teenager didn't have to wait very long for, because no later had he said those words, Edward has his eyes narrowed as he scowls deeply at him.

"If I was talking shit about you, I would make sure I said it loud enough for the entire fucking bar to hear." Edward states heatedly, glaring like a wet-cat as he slowly lifts the tall glass to his lips and chugs back the rest of his deliciously sweetened coke.

He slams the glass on the table top after he finishes and watches as Envy's emptied beer bottle rattles uneasily on top of the wooden table.

Edward soon hiccups and he giggles. "Oops, maybe I'm drinking my coke too fast." Edward states to no one in particular as he pats his belly contently with a smile.

"What were you going to say?" Envy soon asks once he notices that the teen didn't quite finish his sentence from earilier.

Edward blinks out of his thoughts and leans forward on the table towards Envy. "Huh?" He deadpans with a sluggish smirk.

Envy smirks wider at the now drunk sounding Edward and pokes the teens nose. "You were gonna ask me something pipsqueak. what was it?" He asks again.

Edward swats away the hand poking his nose with a small growls escaping his lips as he leans back against the booth in thougt. "Hmm...What was I going to say...?" He trails off, another hiccup leaving his mouth.

He was starting to feel more and more funny, maybe he was getting over-tired, it was late at night. But he couldn't quite remember what he was just talking about with Envy, not to mention that the more he thought about it, the more he felt like he had to pee.

His belly was beginning to feel warmer, and his head was spinning. He enjoyed the feeling either way.

Edward blinks out of his thoughts and smirks at Envy. "I think I gotta use the bathroom. Order me another coke wouldja?" Edward slurs to Envy.

Who was only smirking at him as he nods his funny colored head in agreement.

Edward doesn't get why Envy was looking so Goddamn pleased with himself at the moment, but he didn't want to stick around too long to find out either, he needed to piss badly.

So with a heavy sigh of defeat, Edward gets up from the leather seated booth with a loud crunch of the leather dragging across his ass, he swings his legs over th edge of the booth and hops out, but then starting swaying almost instantly as soon as his feet found the floors.

His head was suddenly feeling very…Well, empty, no thoughts were swimming around inside his head than what he considered to be normal.

The only thoughts raging through his head at that moment was how much he needs to pee, and how long it would take for him to make it back to the booth and be reunited with his sweet delicious and tasty coke, how he loved that drink at the moment.

It was sweet, but bitter at the same time. And it held an odd taste of something overly sweet lingering inside as well, like another mound of sugar, but something either than that…

Edward couldn't put his finger on it, but it was coke, he knew that much and that it was the best coke he ever had.

Once he notices that he was still swaying and wouldn't stop, he shakes his head and walks towards the crowded dance floor to get to the other side of the bar and to his desintation, the washrooms.

Making sure he doesn't get any more beer spilt on his black and white sleeved sweater, he starts ducking and zigzagging completely around the swaying and teetering bodies.

_'Everyone looks so stupid...' _Edward thought, as he smirks to himself. He points and quietly laughs at one particularly green looking man, who was holding the edge of his table as he swayed dangerously forward and backwards in his chair. Looking as though he was going to throw-up any second now.

Edward quickly dodges another mound of people, who were slowly dancing right in the middle of the floor and completely in his way.

He notices then that there seemed to be more people piling into the bar, and Edward soon finds himself to be excited, nervous, but eager all the same that his night had just started. What time it was, he doesn't even know, or care, he just wanted to get back to his booth and enjoy the rest of his night with Envy.

Speaking of Envy…Edward needed to find the bathrooms and fast before Envy thought he ditched him entirely.

So looking around at his surroundings more furiously, he realizes that his surroundings were starting to dip and twirl...Much to his amusement, and soon he locates the direction to the bathrooms by noticing the washroom signs just to the right hand side of the bar, and straight down a hall.

With a triumphant but lazy smirk, he weaves through the mass of drunk bodies, which were trying hard to dance and keep their heads up at the same time, they only continue to teeter closer to one another for support.

Edward shakes his head at the drunks, but then quickly stops when the world starts doing a complete 360 all around him, before finally coming to a stop. He tries to recover from the sudden bout of dizziness, but his brain just refused to cooperate with him.

He couldn't see straight anymore, he can't even think straight, all he wants to do is piss and see if his coke is on the table waiting for him, or any other drink waiting for him.

He was now, ready to drink, what he wants to drink he had no idea, all he wants is to just drink!

And damn was that an over whelming urge.

Maybe he could have something stronger, something with alcohol in it, and get Envy to drink with him so they can have more laughs together as well.

With an eager smile at that sudden brilliant idea, he edges closer towards the men's bathroom and kicks open the door with a shaky swing of his leg, and crack!

The door opens with a loud bang on the other side of the wall behind the door.

"Oops." He mutters.

Edward smirks to himself at the loud noise he purposely made and stumbles on his own two feet, almost falling to his face onto the dirty bathroom floor with his mistep.

That is until he catches himself, by throwing his entire body sideways and hitting the tiled bathroom wall beside him.

He chuckles at himself at his own clumsiness, and slides on the tiled walls all the way to the urinals.

He finds that his hands didn't want to cooperate with him either, they kept falling and fumbling from his jeans button and zipper, until finally everything was out and he was relieving himself with a grateful sigh escaping his constantly smirking lips.

His head is swimming with idiotic questions, and idiotic thoughts, that he made himself laugh a couple of times, before he neatly put everything back to their rightful places and he zips up his pants with shaky hands.

With an even shakier and dangerously teetering body, he pulls himself to the sink and makes a mess all over the counter just by simply washing his hands.

He laughs at his clumsiness more than once as he stumbles his way over to the bathroom door after finishing drying his hands.

Just as he takes a shaky step towards the bathroom door, it gets brutally kicked open wide once again, and Edward finds himself shrieking in complete horror as he trips on his own feet once again, and he lands ass first, down onto the floor with a loud and painful groan.

"Oops." States someone uncaringly—a man obviously when the door to the _men's _bathroom has just been kicked open violently—and when Edward looks up with dizzy and half-lidded eyes, he could barely see straight, let alone make out the details of the guy that just knocked him down to the floor.

"Hey…I know you…What're you doing in a place like this?" Comes a dark and rough sounding voice. "Aren't you a little too young to be in a bar kid?"

_'That's Greed's voice.'_ Edward thought in disbelief.

And oh damn, he was just knocked to the floor by someone who looks and acts, like a big pervert at school.

Especially to him of all people.

But Edward didn't even think about those perverted characteristics, what he _mostly_ heard out of that statement, was the "little" part.

"I am not short you perverted shark teeth motherfucker!" Edward snarls as he gets up from the floor and onto shaky legs. His mind was feeling all the more foggy and dizzier than before, he felt the need to see Envy.

He just didn't feel safe at the moment, especially when Greed is just standing not two feet away from, with that creepy smile stretched widely across his face as he held a casual hand inside his black jeans pocket.

"Take it easy, just messing with ya Ed…" Purrs Greed, he quirks an eyebrow at the obviously drunk teenager and smirks wickedly. "Anyways, you didn't answer me pipsqueak. I asked, what're ya doing here?" Greed asks again as he takes a step forward to the intoxicated shorter teenager.

Who is swaying on his feet, looking as though he could barely lift his head up to see him properly, and looking completely..._Vulnerable_ as well.

_'What...Am doing...?' _Edward thought, he felt himself get dizzier and dizzier until he just couldn't think anymore, everytime he opens his eyes, all he wants to do after is just shut them and fall asleep. How did he end up feeling this way? His drink had to have been spiked.

Edward hadn't even notice the steps that Greed had taken closer towards him. But he felt hands on either side of his hips, and he was being brought closer and into a warm body in front of him.

It was a warm, safe feeling. And that's all Edward really wanted right now was support of some kind, he couldn't even hold himself upright anymore, mostly because his mind at that moment was hardly comprehending anything that is happening around him anymore, and that everything...Kinda didn't make sense to him anymore, he couldn't even remember where it was he was at anymore, and who was standing in front of him, and holding him, but he suddenly felt that he really needed someone, anyone, to hold him up and help him_._

Edward began to feel the hands that were once helping him stand, start to search around his body, and feel their way to his back and down lower to his ass.

He gasps in surprise at the touch and leans further away from the arms. "D-don't…Touch me." Edward hisses in anger, but his head falls to the side and he groans. "Let me go." Edward says more sternly and more demanding.

He tries to push the taller, and stronger, person away from his body at arms-length, but when he felt that his arms were slowly falling to his sides, and when he felt that those hands were now touching more sensitive areas on his body, he stops his pathetic attempts at escaping and hisses in between his lip biting.

"D-dont..." He moans, he tilts his head back and gasps loudly at the hand on his crotch. Something was happening to him, someone was touching him.

"You're not going anywhere, I finally have you where I want you Ed." Greed whispers huskily right by the shorter teens ear, and he smirks in pure delight when he felt the boy give a violent shiver inside his arms.

"Who…?" Edward groans. He shakes his head in denial at what's currently happening, he didn't know whether he liked it, or whether he didn't want to be there. He felt scared, but secure, he just couldn't get his head straight anymore.

The touches sure felt good at the moment, but he doesn't even know who's doing this to him, and that was a scary thought. But he can't find it in himself to push the person away, not when it felt this good. His head still felt disgustingly dizzy, and his body was still uncontrollably heavy and unwilling to do the things that his brain is currently screaming at what it wants him to do, and he's now practically a pile of Edward mush inside someones arms.

Edward soon feels lips pushing against his own, and he mewls at the sudden touch. Hungry lips are ravaging his, pinning them in place, and moving them to their will.

Edward can hear himself give whimpers at the touches and squeezes. He soon starts to push the body away a second later when he felt a tongue slip passed his open lips and dive right into his mouth, he shivers once he feels the tongue swirl against his own.

He pants in between kisses and still tries breaking free from the strong hold on his body, his head was becoming more cloudy, he doesn't remember how he ended up in this posistion, but when he finds himself pinned further against the wall behind him, and feels that the hands were now pulling away his sweater, Edward was soon shocked. Too fast, it was happening too fast, he was also naked underneath his sweater.

When Greed pulls the fabric over the shorter teenager's head in haste, his eyes widen at the sight of skin, but soon he growls in appreciation and latches his mouth onto a rather sensitive nipple.

"Ahh!" Edward shouts in shock. "Don't!" He loudly shouts in horror, he felt himself sliding down the tiled wall behind him, and they land on the floor.

Thats when Greed pulls himself over top of the shivering boy below him and runs his tongue and lips all over the sensitive skin.

"Hahh...Ah...!" Edward moans. "Don't! No more!" Edwrad starts to wiggle underneath the warm body, he looks down towards his stomach, to see that the person all along, was Greed, and he's going lower and lower and edging his way closer to the hem of his jeans.

"What're...You?" Edward tries to ask, but his eyes widen in shock when he sees Greed sticks his thumbs into the hem of his pants as the older teenager tries to pull his pants completely off his body.

"No!" Edward shouts as he blushes in embarassment, he sits up with a fast lurch and slaps Greed's hands away from his body. "Let go! I'm not going to—"

"—let me fuck you?" Greed hisses, heatedly looking up into Edward's scared and glaring golden eyes.

Edward shakes his head and looks around the bathroom, _'Why am I here again? Why am I here with him?' _Edward thought furiously._ 'Did I want this?' _Edward thought it horror, he shakes his head away from those horrible thoghts and pushes himself away from below Greed and slides away from the man, with only his pants on, consering he didn't know where the hell Greed put his sweater. "Get away from me!" He demands sternly.

Then Edward finds himself pinned against the tiled wall of the dirty bathroom as Greed pulls his hips forward forcibly, and rubs himself against his crotch.

Edward gives a startled gasp at the movement, and that's when everything starts snapping together, Greed was on him, pinning him, kissing him forcibly, rubbing his…_Thing_ against his own, and no one is going to help him, he is alone inside the bathroom, and he has to do something!

"Enough!" Edward roars, bringing his knee up—and between—Greed's knees as he successfully sacks the older teenager hard, and quickly he gets up from the floor as he hears a painful sounding grunt come out from Greed's disgusting mouth.

He watches in satisfaction as Greed falls to his knees on the bathroom floor, and that's when Edward, for the life of him, couldn't find it in his power to do anything else, he just spins on his heels and bolts out of the bathroom door.

Never looking back even, when he hears Greed shouting after at him, and saying: "You wanted it pipsqueak! You were begging me for it!"

Edward merely shakes his head away at the mere idea of it all, and bolts it passed so many drunk bodies, that he was amazed at himself at the sudden boost of strength he felt surging through his body.

Now why didn't he have the strength back in the bathroom to push Greed off and punch the hell out of him?

Right, he felt incredibly drunk, powerless, and dizzy beyond belief. He didn't even know what was happening until he felt Greed's…

He shivers in complete disgust._ 'Did I honestly just...Did I really want that? Did I ask him for it?' _Edward thought, he whimpers at the thought of how drunk he must've been when he asked for that.

Because he can't even remember going to the washrooms.

Never again is he going out into a bar, never again is he going to do anything that Envy says that they should do, he is never going out into L.A, not with the likes of Ling or with the likes of Envy at all.

This is all Envy's fault.

Envy gave him the alcoholic drink.

_'I didn't even know it was spiked...I'm such a fucking idiot!' _Edward scolds himself inside his head as he pushes aside all of the drunken people and runs down and across the bar.

As he runs out of the double doors of the bar called "The Devil's Nest" and surprising the bouncer named "Jumbo" at the same time, he all but throws himself down the front porch steps of the bar and runs down the streets of L.A.

Without his sweater on, and half naked.

_'I'm such a fucking idiot! I'm so stupid!' _Edward keeps repeating inside his head.

0.o.0.o.0

"Where'd that bastard take off to?" Envy pracitcally snarls as he throws open the bathroom doors.

To see Greed slouched over the sink and running his hands through his damp pure black hair.

Envy takes one look at Greed, casts his eyes down to the floor, and sees Edward's black and white sweater crumpled up on the floor, and Edward no where to be seen.

He snarls in disgust at his step brother as he puts two and two together and takes long-legged strides towards his elder brother, and pushes Greed into the sink that Greed was standing in front of.

"What the fuck!?" Greed shouts angrily as he turns furiously around, and faces his younger brother Envy.

Who is seething in front of him with a sweater clenched tightly in his hands.

"What do you want?" Greed deadpans.

Envy shakes the sweater in front of Greed's irritatingly calm expression and shouts. "Where the hell is Edward? What did you do to him!?"

Greed rolls his eyes and points to the floor. "Your boyfriend was asking for it, practically willing to do it. When I tried pulling his pants off he realized he didn't want it anymore, and so, he ran." Greed easily explains with a shrug of his shoulders. "His moans are so intoxicating." Greed darkly chuckles at the memory.

Envy growls in disgust and wraps the sweater around his torso as he runs out of the washrooms and out of the bar entirely.

_'Edward wouldn't do that. I know that...But fuck! I made him drink that spiked coke! Fuck sakes, this is all my fucking fault, I'm such a fucking IDIOT!' _Envy shouts angrily inside his head as he runs over to his motobike and starts the ignition without hesitation.

* * *

_Like I said, the chapters are loooong! This chapter alone is 10,538 words...Yeah...I should've just cut it in half right? But I didn't feel like it, I like this whole chapter, it was interesting for me to write. Poor Ed though...Sorry I had to put him through that :L The next chapter is gonna be more interesting!_

_Also, you may noticed that I wrote a bit more in this chapter huh? It used to be so boring before, so I spiced it up, and that is the out-come of this chapter :) And I'm just on chapter 10 now! :L I really need to get to work on this story if I ever want to see it completed!_

_I don't know when I'll be able to post another chapter, but I know it isn't sometime soon. I'll let you guys know when you review :) I'll PM you guys and give you a heads up, just so you won't get impatient, or start to wonder if I died or something :L_

_Thanks for FFR-ing you guys! Keep up the amazing support!_

_-Hella_


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